Rome_ View of the Obelisk and the Colonnades from St Peter’s Square c. 1870

This photograph by Fratelli Alinari captures St. Peter's Square, dominated by the ancient obelisk at its center. Originally erected in Heliopolis, this monolith carries the weight of Egyptian sun-worship, a symbol of power and divine connection. Transplanted to Rome, it stood in the Circus of Nero, witnessing the martyrdom of Christians. Re-erected here in the 16th century, it was surmounted with a cross, a potent act of appropriation, symbolizing the triumph of Christianity over paganism. The obelisk, therefore, acts as a tangible link between disparate civilizations and belief systems, a testament to the cyclical nature of cultural memory. Its presence evokes a psychoanalytic tension—an ancient symbol repurposed to assert new dominance, yet forever haunted by echoes of its past. The emotional power of this image lies in its ability to provoke a subconscious awareness of history's layered, often conflicting narratives. The obelisk rises, a constant throughout time, its significance reshaped by the prevailing winds of belief.