The Column of the Immaculate Conception: A Testament to Faith in Rome

The Column of the Immaculate Conception, located in central Rome in Piazza Mignanelli, was designed by Luigi Poletti and commissioned by King Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies to commemorate the recently adopted dogma of the Immaculate Conception of 1854. The column, dedicated in 1857, stands 11.8 meters tall, with a marble base supporting a Corinthian column and a bronze statue of the Virgin Mary at the top. The statue features the Virgin Mary standing on a crescent, trampling a serpent, symbolizing the end of original sin.

The marble base also includes four bas-reliefs depicting scenes from the Annunciation, the dream of St. Joseph, the coronation of the Virgin, and the promulgation of the dogma. Four statues of Hebrew figures who gave prophecies of the virgin birth are also present, each bearing a Latin quote from the Bible. Since 1953, Pontiffs have visited the column annually for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons