October 26, 2004

An interesting picture: while on a recent trip to Rome and the Vatican, during the descent from the top of the dome of Saint Peter's Cathedral in Vatican City, there is at some point a long list of plaques commemorating the ascension of State Leaders from over three centuries to the top of the dome itself.

The attached photo, taken by myself, is the plaque documenting the ascension of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi. It reads:

On the 20th of August 1948, His Imperial Majesty Shahanshah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi ascended to the Vatican and entered the internal part of the Dome.

I believe this to be one of the last official public plaques commemorating the Shah to be seen around Europe, and most certainly around Rome. This plaque was in the "Eastern rulers" section of the list, right next to the one commemorating Japanese Emperor Hirohito's ascent.

An interesting fact: this visit took place before the notorious stop-over during the troubled Mossadegh days of 1953... the Shah and Soraya did not have time or yearning for tourism then.

Siavush Randjbar-Daemi
Italy

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