Constructed in 1885 by Giuseppe Sacconi to commemorate Victor Emmanuel II, unified Italy’s first king, this monument dwarfs all others in Rome through its sheer size and stark whiteness. Given various nicknames by its detractors (including “the typewriter” and “the set of dentures”), it houses the Museo Centrale del Risorgimento, hosting major temporary exhibitions (Klimt, Chagall...). From the top (accessed by a lift) there is a fine view of the city.