A large-scale structure standing in Piazza Venezia, which the local Romans affectionately call the “wedding cake.” Many see it as a massive block of marble that rises in the ancient center of the city and stands out in the travertine stone landscape typical of Rome. The building, designed by Giuseppe Sacconi, was inaugurated in 1911 and symbolized the unification of Italy.

At its center is King Victor Emmanuel II riding a horse. At the top, a colonnade crowded with national symbols, depictions of Italy’s regions, characteristic works of the boot-shaped country, and symbols of heroism, victory, faith, and hope. After World War I, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was added on the first floor alongside the Altar of the Nation. On the sides, two fountains symbolize the great seas surrounding Italy — the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west and the Adriatic Sea to the east.