| Axum / Axum is known for its massive, towering sculptures, obelisks that are
more
than two thousand years old. Their significance is still under investigation by archaeologists. All that remains now of
Axum's past glories are the huge granite stelae (pillars), some fallen and some still perpendicular. Made of single blocks of
granite, the tallest stood over 108ft high - the largest monolith in the world. The biggest now standing is 75ft
high. All three section of the 1,700-year old Axum obelisk arrived back in Ethiopia, 68 years after it was looted by
Italian fascists. Seized back in 1937 by Italian troops, it was taken to Rome where it remained, despite a 1947 UN agreement
to return it to Ethiopia. It was eventually dismantled into three pieces in 2004 in preparation for its journey home, an
operation which cost Italy an estimated 6 million euros. The monument was pieced together
re-erected during our visit - the Italians were removing the last scaffoldings.
This is King Remhai's stele: the tallest, but broken.
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