From Silk Road Crossroads to Pahlavi Cultural Revival: Eugenio Galdieri’s Activities in the Safavid Capital of Isfahan

This conference abstract examines Isfahan as a historical crossroads in two distinct moments: first, as a Safavid capital connected to the Silk Road and transregional exchange, and second, as a major site of architectural restoration, documentation, and cultural diplomacy during the Pahlavi period. Focusing on the activities of Eugenio Galdieri and IsMEO between 1964 and 1978, it argues that restoration in Isfahan was not only a matter of physical conservation but also a means of historical research, technical knowledge transfer, and the reactivation of the city’s cultural standing.