Rome is full of obelisks. Those commemorative monuments are becoming a passion. They came to Italy from the ancient Egypt during the imperial period.
After the empire has fallen, they were neglected until the Sisto V (1585 and 1590), who decided to put them in the middle of Rome squares, at proximity of the seven basis of indulgence, to makes the Pilgrims visit easier. 
The project was in charge of the architect Domenico Fontana, who invested obelisks in the most important areas strategically. The most ancient and tallest of Rome's Obelisks is the obelisk of Piazza di San Giovanni in Lanterano. Built of red granite, 31 m (100 ft) high, it came from the temple of Amon at Thebes, erected in the 15th century BC. It was brought to Rome in AD 357 by the order of Constantine II and put up in the Circus Maximus.

The Flaminio Obeliskk stands in the centre of the "piazza del Popolo", 25 m tall; 36.50 m including the base, from Ramesses II's Egypt (13th-12th cent. B.C), brought to Rome from Heliopolis and originally erected in the Circus Maximus. It was moved here in 1589 under Sixtus V. On the southem side, at the beginning of three streets leading to the central city.

The Obelisk of Psammetichus (Egyption pharaoh. 6th cent. B,C.). Is was brought from Helliopolis to Rome by Augustus and placed here in 1789 by Pius VI.