14 Facts About Giovanni Capellini

Giovanni Capellini was an Italian geologist and paleontologist.

Giovanni Capellini was a Senator of the Kingdom of Italy in the seventeenth legislature.

Giovanni Capellini was born on 23 August 1833 in La Spezia, Liguria, son Pietro Francesco Capellini and Margherita Ferrarini.

Giovanni Capellini's parents intended that he should make a career as a musician, and then in the church.

In 1853 the future King Umberto I of Italy visited La Spezia, and Capellini was presented to him when he came to view the collection.

Giovanni Capellini remained in the monks' school until his father died in 1854.

Giovanni Capellini was finally able to devote himself to geology thanks to the Rector of the Seminary of Pontremoli, who offered him the post of prefect at the seminary, and he continued his studies thanks to the Municipality of La Spezia, which paid for his costs at the University of Pisa.

Giovanni Capellini was to hold this position for over sixty years.

From 1858, Giovanni Capellini spent most of his holidays in research and meetings in other European countries, including France, Switzerland, Romania, Turkey, Great Britain, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Greece, and Hungary.

In 1863 Giovanni Capellini went to the United States and Canada, travelling in Nova Scotia, Quebec and Ontario and in the United States as far west as Nebraska, where he made his first true geological excavations.

Giovanni Capellini was particularly impressed by the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC.

Giovanni Capellini made many contacts and friends on this visit, as he had in Europe, which he was to use in his mission establishing international cooperation between geologists, including the exchange of comparative samples.

Giovanni Capellini was several times rector of the University of Bologna, and initiated the Geological Map of Italy project.

Giovanni Capellini was a member of the Accademia dei Lincei and many other societies.