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Giovan Battista Pacichelli facts for kids

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Giovan Battista Pacichelli

Born 1641
Died 1695
Nationality Tuscan
Occupation
  • Abbot
  • Historian
  • Philologist
  • Jurist
  • Diplomat
Known for Il Regno di Napoli in Prospettiva
Academic background
Alma mater
  • University of Pisa
  • Sapienza University of Rome
Academic work

Giovanni Battista Pacichelli (1641 – 1695) was an Italian abbot (a leader in a monastery), a smart scholar, and a great traveller. He was also known as a philologist, someone who studies languages and old texts.

About Giovanni Battista Pacichelli

Giovanni Battista Pacichelli was born in Rome in 1641. His family originally came from a place called Pistoia. He went to the University of Pisa to study law. Later, he studied theology (the study of religion) at the Sapienza University of Rome.

He quickly became known for his knowledge of old things and languages. In 1668, he published his first book, Il Giosia del Vaticano. He dedicated this book to Pope Clement IX.

His Amazing Travels

Because he was so talented, important people noticed him. He got a job with the Pope's diplomatic team, called the Legation of the Holy See, in Germany. This job allowed him to travel all over Europe.

In July 1673, he visited the Southern Netherlands and the Dutch Republic. He went back to Germany in March 1674. But soon after, he left again for cities like Rotterdam, The Hague, and Amsterdam.

He spent some time in Amsterdam. There, he visited many famous collections of art and rare items. He also explored the bookshops of well-known publishers like Blaeu and Elsevier.

After that, he returned to Germany. He visited cities such as Bremen, Hamburg, and Lübeck. In June, he traveled to Bruges and then to France. In France, he saw Paris, Champagne, and Artois.

He went back to Germany again, traveling through Westphalia and Saxony. In the autumn of 1674, he visited Colmar and Mainz.

In the spring of 1675, his travels took him to England, Scotland, and Ireland. From Dover, he sailed to Lisbon and explored Portugal and Spain.

After a short stop in Cologne, he began another long journey in 1676. This time, he visited Sweden, Denmark, Austria, Poland, and Hungary. The next year, he explored Provence, the Dauphiné, and Savoy before returning to Italy.

Important Recognition

In 1674, Pacichelli was chosen to be a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very old and respected group of scientists and scholars in England. He was suggested for this honor by Robert Boyle, a famous scientist.

Later in his life, around 1679, he became an ambassador for Ranuccio II of Parma in Naples. He lived in Naples for about 15 years. During this time, he focused on his studies and published most of his books. In 1684, he visited the Kingdom of Sicily. Giovanni Battista Pacichelli died in Rome in 1695.

His Written Works

Pacichelli wrote many books and papers. His most important work is called Il Regno di Napoli in Prospettiva. This means "The Kingdom of Naples in Perspective." It was published in 1703, after he had passed away.

This huge book gives a very detailed description of the Kingdom of Naples. It was published in three large volumes and was about 800 pages long!

He also wrote a detailed account of his travels. This work was called Memorie de' viaggi per l'Europa cristiana (Memories of Travels through Christian Europe). It was published in five small books in 1685. Two more volumes, Memorie novelle de' Viaggi (New Travel Memories), came out in 1691.

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