Vatican Obelisk (Obelisco Vaticano)

The newly-raised obelisks were a sign of the power of the Pope and the Catholic Church, devoid of any pagan meaning. The Obelisk in St. Peter's square was in fact transformed into a Christian symbol by placing a cross on top, and for a long time it was thought that a fragment of the "True Cross" was hidden inside.

The Vatican Obelisk is separated from its base by four lions that recall the coat of arms of Sixtus V, the work of Prospero Antichi, and, unlike the others, it does not rest directly on it. On its top is a cross that surmounts the heraldic symbols of the family of Pope Sixtus V Peretti.