Trajan's Column
Trajan's Column was built in 113 AD to commemorate Trajan's victory in the Dacian Wars, under the order of the Senate. The building is believed to have been led by architect Apollodorus of Damascus. Apollodorus was favoured by Trajan and built Trajan's Bridge over the Danube for the 105 AD - 106 AD campaign in Dacia as well as Trajan's Forum in Rome. He is also credited for rebuilding the Pantheon.
The column is recognisable for its spiral relief depicting the epic wars between the Dacians and the Romans. It has inspired many ancient and modern victory columns.
The structure is approximately 30 metres high but rises by another 5 metres including its pedestal. It has a diameter of 3.7 metres. The shaft itself is made of twenty drums of Carrara marble, with each weighing approximately thirty-two tons. Inside of this shaft is a 185-stair spiral staircase that leads to a viewing platform on top. Originally the plans for the Column was to include an eagle at its summit to represent Rome and Jupiter but a statue to Trajan was placed there instead. in 1857, the top was crowned by a statue of Pope Sixtus V after the statue of Trajan was removed at some point in the middle ages.
The column is recognisable for its spiral relief depicting the epic wars between the Dacians and the Romans. It has inspired many ancient and modern victory columns.
The structure is approximately 30 metres high but rises by another 5 metres including its pedestal. It has a diameter of 3.7 metres. The shaft itself is made of twenty drums of Carrara marble, with each weighing approximately thirty-two tons. Inside of this shaft is a 185-stair spiral staircase that leads to a viewing platform on top. Originally the plans for the Column was to include an eagle at its summit to represent Rome and Jupiter but a statue to Trajan was placed there instead. in 1857, the top was crowned by a statue of Pope Sixtus V after the statue of Trajan was removed at some point in the middle ages.