Trajan's Column
Trajan's Column commemorates Roman emperor
Trajan's
victory in the Dacian Wars. It is located near the Quirinal Hill, north of
the Roman Forum. Completed in 113 AD, the freestanding column is most
famous for its spiral bas relief, that artistically describes the epic
wars between the Romans and Dacians in the early second century. The
column is about 98 ft in height and is made from a series of 20 colossal
Carrara marble drums, each weighing about 32 tons, with a diameter of
11 ft. The 625 ft frieze winds around the shaft 23 times. Inside the
shaft, a spiral staircase of 185 stairs provides access to a viewing
platform at the top. |