rome blog

Leonardo da Vinci, we’ve talked about him a thousand times for good reason. This Italian renaissance genius was an active innovator in various different disciplines: painting, sculpture, anatomy, engineering, architecture and philosophy, among others.

Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) began his multidisciplinary career in Andrea del Verrocchio’s Florence studio, where other soon to be important renaissance artists like Botticelli or Ghirlandaio also studied. Perhaps we just think of his visual masterpieces like “Monalisa” or “the Last Supper,” but as we mentioned above it’s important to remember that the Tuscan genius also embarked other intellectual pursuits, both humanistic and scientific. He explored the human body via dissection of corpses, drew his discoveries, and together with Belgian physician Andrea Vesalio (1514-1564) is credited with establishing the fundamentals of modern anatomy.

This extraordinarily creative and talented mind couldn’t help but direct its gaze toward the future and begin to invent objects and machines that could be useful for humanity in all its activities, including war. Using the writings and drawings found in the “Davinci code” a group of experts and artisans have been able to construct models of these “machines of the future.”

Amongst the 45 models we can find some that are truly amazing and visionary, considering that Leonardo was working on his projects the fifteenth century: inventions prefigured include the parachute, the tank, the bicycle, a revolving crane and a hydraulic saw. You can find these and other inventions on display in Rome’s Chancelor’s Palace (near the “Campo dei Fiori”) and appreciate Leonardo’s genius for yourself. The interactive exhibit will be open until April 30th, and you can try the machines- nearly all of them are functional! However, we don’t advise depending on his version of the parachute, despite the fact that Leonardo had conceived of his prototype as a system that would allow a person “to jump from any height without injury”.

This exhibit is the ideal chance to introduce children to work of this unique creative genius. Rome the eternal city a place where it’s impossible to get bored, and there is something for everyone: art and history lovers, sports fans, shopping addicts, gourmands and ice-cream freaks. For lodging close to all these attractions, stay in Apartments in Rome.