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On the walls of the spiral staircase which leads from the roof to the nave of the basilica there are a number of Italian inscriptions marking the visits of various princes to the dome. Included amongst these are several honouring the heirs of the Stuart kings.
King Charles Emanuel IV of Sardinia (later King Charles IV), his wife, and aunt:
King Charles IV inscription
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IL DI X LUGLIO MDCCC
CARLO EMANUELE IV RE DI SARDEGNA
MARIA CLOTILDE DI FRANCIA REGINA
E MARIA FELICITA PRINCIPESSA REALE DI SAVOIA
SALIRONO AD OSSERVARE LA CUPOLA
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On July 10, 1800
King Charles Emanuel IV of Sardinia,
[his] queen, Marie Clotilde of France,
and Princess Maria Felicita of Savoy
climbed to see the cupola.
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Queen Maria Teresa, widow of King Victor, with two of her daughters:
Queen Maria Teresa inscription
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A DI XVIII APRILE MDCCCXXVI.
SVA MAESTA LA REGINA MARIA TERESA VEDOVA DI SARDEGNA
CON LE DVE FIGLIE MARIA ANNA E MARIA CRISTINA PRINCIPESSE DI SAVOIA
SI RECARONO AD OSSERVARE LA CVPOLA ED ENTRARONO NELLA PALLA
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On April 18, 1826
Her Majesty Maria Teresa, Queen Dowager of Sardinia
with her two daughters Maria Anna and Maria Cristina, Princesses of Savoy,
came to see the cupola and went into the lantern.
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King Francis I:
King Francis I inscription, 1852
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SVA ALTEZZA REALE
FRANCESCO V ·
DVCA DI MODENA, REGGIO, MIRANDOLA, MASSA, È CARRARA
ARCIDVCA D' AVSTRIA PRINCIPE REALE D' VNGHERIA
NEL GIORNO XI · OTTOBRE MDCCCLII
ASCESE ALLA CVPOLA ED ENTRÒ NELLA GRAN PALLA
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His Royal Highness
Francis V,
Duke of Modena, Reggio, Mirandola, Massa, and Carrara,
Archduke of Austria, Prince of Hungary,
on October 11, 1852,
ascended to the cupola and entered the great lantern.
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King Francis I (for a second time) with Queen Adelgunda:
King Francis I and Queen Adelgunda inscription, 1858
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SVA ALTEZZA IMPERIALE E REALE FRANCESCO V ·
ARCIDVCA D' AVSTRIA · PRINCIPE REALE DI
VNGHERIA E BOEMIA
DVCA DI MODENA · REGGIO · MIRANDOLA ·
MASSA · CARRARA · E GVASTALLA
E
SVA ALTEZZA IMPERIALE E REALE
ALDEGONDA DI BAVIERA DI LVI CONSORTE
IL DI VI OTTOBRE MDCCCLVIII · ASCESERO FINO ALLA CVSPIDE
DELL' EDIFICIO VATICANO · ED IL PRIMO ENTRÒ NELLA PALLA
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His Imperial and Royal Highness Francis V
Archduke of Austria, Prince
of Hungary and Bohemia
Duke of Modena, Reggio, Mirandola,
Massa, Carrara, and Guastalla
and
Her Imperial and Royal Highness
Adelgunda of Bavaria, his wife
on October 6, 1858, ascended to this point
of the Vatican Basilica, and the former entered the lantern.
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King Francis I (for a third time) with Queen Adelgunda:
King Francis I and Queen Adelgunda inscription, 1870
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A DI X · MARZO MDCCCLXX ·
SVA ALTEZZA REALE
FRANCESCO V · DVCA DI MODENA ETC
E
SVA ALTEZZA REALE
ALDEGONDA DI BAVIERA DI LVI CONSORTE
ASCESERO ALLA CVPOLA
ED IL PRIMO ENTRÒ DENTRO LA PALLA
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On March 10, 1870,
His Royal Highness
Francis V, Duke of Modena etc.
and
Her Royal Highness
Adelgunda of Bavaria, his wife
ascended to the cupola
and the former entered the lantern.
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To see the inscriptions one must purchase a ticket for the dome, climb to the roof either by stairs (entrance fee L7,000) or elevator (entrance fee L8,000), and then descend from the roof by the long spiral ramp.
Notes
Image 1 (King Charles IV inscription): © Noel S. McFerran 2001.
Image 2 (Queen Maria Teresa inscription): © Noel S. McFerran 2001.
Image 3 (King Francis I inscription, 1852): © Noel S. McFerran 2001.
Image 4 (King Francis and Queen Adelgunda inscription, 1858): © Noel S. McFerran 2001.
Image 5 (King Francis and Queen Adelgunda inscription, 1870): © Noel S. McFerran 2001.
This page is maintained by Noel S. McFerran (noel.mcferran@rogers.com) and was last updated November 8, 2003.
© Noel S. McFerran 2000-2003.
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