Monday, August 15, 2016

camminando | Roma: Following the Sun and Shadow


The obelisk is located at 41.902245, 12.457274 in the center of the Square. According to the Vatican website (http://www.vatican.va/various/basiliche/san_pietro/it/basilica/esterno.htm) the  red granite obelisk was is 25.31-meter tall on a base of 8.25 meter. It was originally placed on the axis of the Circus of Nero—or Circus of Caligula.
An early interpretation of the relative locations of the circus, and the medieval and current Basilicas of St. Peter. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circus_of_Nero#/media/File:Plan_of_Circus_Neronis_and_St._Peters.gif

The obelisk has a square plan aligned to true north and its shadow acts as a sundial. The surrounding pavement made of sampietrino (beveled basalt stones) and has inserted white marble markers defining a wind rose. The wind rose markers were not added until 1852 during the pontificate of Pius IX.