Lateran Obelisk

The Lateran Obelisk is the largest-standing Egyptian obelisk in the world, standing at just over 32 meters. Boats carried it and one other obelisk from Karnak, the Obelisk of Theodosius, up the Nile River from Karnak to Alexandria. Constantius II originally wanted to bring it to the new capital of the Roman Empire, Constantinople, but instead later brought the obelisk to Rome, where it stood in the Circus Maximus. Constantius intended it to represent his devotion to his father, Constantine. When he set up the obelisk in Rome, an inscription was made commemorating both Constantine's and Constantius' careers, including his victory over the usurper Magnentius, who led a revolt in the western provinces. In this way, the obelisk was a massive symbol of Roman power over their provinces. It was later excavated under the lead of Pope Sixtus V in 1587.  Found in three pieces, it was restored and erected in Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano a year later.