10 Facts About Ulisse Aldrovandi

Ulisse Aldrovandi was an Italian naturalist, the moving force behind Bologna's botanical garden, one of the first in Europe.

Ulisse Aldrovandi is usually referred to, especially in older scientific literature in Latin, as Aldrovandus; his name in Italian is equally given as Aldroandi.

Ulisse Aldrovandi's father was a lawyer, and Secretary to the Senate of Bologna, but died when Ulisse was seven years old.

Ulisse Aldrovandi obtained a degree in medicine and philosophy in 1553 and started teaching logic and philosophy in 1554 at the University of Bologna.

Ulisse Aldrovandi was a friend of Francesco de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, visiting his garden at Pratolino and travelling with him, compiling a list of the most valuable plants at Pratolino.

Ulisse Aldrovandi formed fruitful associations with botanical artists such as Jacopo Ligozzi, to further develop illustrated texts.

Ulisse Aldrovandi utilized her dowry to build their massive country estate that ultimately included his natural history collection.

Ulisse Aldrovandi was a research partner who located texts for him to cite and use in his books, edited his books, and wrote sections of them as well.

Ulisse Aldrovandi had various artists including Jacopo Ligozzi, Giovanni Neri, and Cornelio Schwindt, compose illustrations of specimens.

Ulisse Aldrovandi was the first to have extensively documented the disease neurofibromatosis, a type of skin tumour.