Obelisk of Axum

The Obelisk of Axum is a 2500-year-old, 78-foot-tall granite obelisk, created by an ancient Ethiopian culture. It was looted from the town of Axum by the Italian army during Mussolini's regime and taken to Rome. After years of pressure, the Italian government agreed to return it; the first steps in dismantling the obelisk and shipping it home were taken in November 2003.