Rome Stele

At 24.6m high, the Rome Stele - or Aksum Obelisk to those in Rome - is the second-largest stele ever produced at Aksum and the largest to have ever been successfully raised. Like the Great Stele, its ornate carvings of multistoried windows and doors adorn all four sides. Pillagers raiding the site are believed to have accidentally caused its collapse sometime between the 10th and 16th centuries.

In 1937 its broken remains were shipped to Italy on Mussolini's personal orders. There it was reassembled and raised once more, this time in Rome's Piazza di Porta Capena. It remained in Rome until 2005, when decades of negotiations finally overcame diplomatic feet-dragging.

After its return to Aksum in April 2005, Unesco planned to raise the stele in its original position. However, while doing a geophysical survey of the site they discovered numerous new tombs surrounding the field, some even under the parking lot. Not wanting to damage these new discoveries with the massive cranes required to raise the stele, Unesco is having a rethink. Some are also worried that the original site may also not be stable enough to hold the stele. All this modern head-scratching regarding the raising of the stele throws into perspective the massive achievement of the ancient Aksumites almost 2000 years ago.

So until final decisions are made, the magnificent Rome Stele sits at the side of the road, near the park's entrance, in four neat pieces. Taking an official guide with you is recommended.