Rainbow backpack. A Torino Pride volunteer was slapped in the face because, they believe, they were wearing a rainbow backpack. Image credit: Istock

Torino Pride volunteer attacked in street

A trans activist and Torino Pride volunteer has been slapped in the face by a group of teenagers in central Turin after being targeted for their rainbow backpack. The incident, which occurred near the Cinema Massimo late on Saturday evening, has prompted swift condemnation from the city’s mayor, the President of the Piedmont Region, and […]

Continue Reading
Castello Estense and statue of Savonarola at night - Our quick guide to Ferrara

Ferrara – city of the bicycle and World Heritage site

While many Italian cities boast Roman foundations, Ferrara is a rarity: a city that came into its own during the Middle Ages and reached its zenith during the Renaissance. Known as the “City of the Bicycle” for its flat terrain and pedal-friendly culture, Ferrara remains one of Europe’s best-preserved examples of “modern” town planning, a […]

Continue Reading
Riccioli as portrayed in the 1742 Atlas Coelestis (plate 3) of Johann Gabriel Doppelmayer. By J G Doppelmayr(Life time: 1677-1750) - Original publication: Published in 1742 in NurembergImmediate source: Atlas Coelestis,1742, Homann: Nuremberg, plate 3, Public Domain, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45302951

On this day: birth of astronomer priest Giovanni Battista Riccioli

On 17 April 1598, one of the most influential figures of 17th-century science, Giovanni Battista Riccioli, was born in Ferrara. A dedicated Jesuit priest and a meticulous astronomer, Riccioli’s legacy remains visible to anyone who looks at the night sky through a telescope. His nomenclature for lunar features is still the international standard used today.

Continue Reading