Rostral column

Reproduction of the Rostral Column of Gaius Duilius (c. 260 BC) at the Museum of Roman Civilization
Rostral columns in Saint Petersburg
The two rostral columns of the place des Quinconces in Bordeaux, France.
Rostral columns of the place des Quinconces, Bordeaux, France
rostral column, Grand Basin, World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, Illinois, 1893
Torre de Cristal in Recife, Brazil.

A rostral column is a type of victory column originating in ancient Greece and Rome, where they were erected to commemorate a naval military victory. Its defining characteristic is the integrated prows or rams of ships, representing captured or destroyed enemy ships. The name derives from the Latin rostrum meaning the bow of a naval vessel.[1]

Rostral columns of the modern world include the Columbus Monument at Columbus Circle in New York City,[2] and the paired Saint Petersburg Rostral Columns.[3]

  1. ^ Harris, Cyril M., ed. (28 February 2013). Illustrated Dictionary of Historic Architecture. Courier Corporation. ISBN 9780486132112. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  2. ^ "New York - Columbus Monument". www.Vanderkrogt.net. Retrieved 12 June 2017.
  3. ^ "Images of the Saint Petersburg Rostral Columns". LHDigest.com. Archived from the original on 20 October 2007. Retrieved 12 June 2017.