The Column of the Immaculate
The Column of the Immaculate, Rome
Column of the Immaculate Conception is a beautiful 19th-century monument located in Piazza di Spagna, just beside the Spanish Steps. Erected in 1857, the column celebrates the Catholic doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, which had been formally defined by Pope Pius IX in 1854.
At the top stands a bronze statue of the Virgin Mary, while the base is decorated with four marble statues representing important biblical figures: Moses, David, Isaiah and Ezekiel.
The monument has also become part of an annual Roman tradition. Every 8 December, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the Pope traditionally visits the column and participates in a ceremony honouring Mary, with firefighters placing a wreath of flowers on the statue.
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The Column of the Immaculate
