Niccolò Zucchi – astronomer

Jesuit's invention gave him a clear view of the planets

A rare portrait of Niccolò Zucchi

Niccolò Zucchi, who designed one of the earliest reflecting telescopes, was born on this day in 1586 in Parma.

His invention enabled him to be the first to discover the belts on the planet Jupiter and to examine the spots on the planet Mars. This was before the telescopes designed by James Gregory and Sir Isaac Newton, which, it has been claimed, were inspired by Zucchi’s book, Optica philosophia.

Zucchi studied rhetoric in Piacenza and philosophy and theology in Parma before entering the Jesuit order in Padua at the age of 16.

He taught mathematics, rhetoric and theology at the Collegio Romano in Rome and was then appointed rector of a new Jesuit college in Ravenna. He then served as apostolic preacher (the preacher to the Papal household) for about seven years.

A modern image of Jupiter from the
 Hubble telescope shows the belts
 Zucchi reputedly saw in 1630

Zucchi published several books about mechanics, magnetism, barometers and astronomy.

When he was sent with other papal officials to the court of Ferdinand II, he met the German mathematician and astronomer, Johannes Kepler, who encouraged his interest in studying the planets. They carried on writing to each other after Zucchi returned to Rome and when Kepler got into financial difficulties, Zucchi gave him one of his own telescopes as a gift.

Along with a fellow Jesuit, Daniello Bartoli, Zucchi was probably the first to see the belts on the planet Jupiter in 1630 and he reported seeing spots on Mars in 1640.

He also demonstrated that phosphors generate light, rather than store it, in 1652.

The lunar crater Zucchius is
named after Niccolò Zucchi

Although many people have written that Zucchi used his early reflecting telescope to observe the planets, this was disputed by some historians in the 19th century. However, the crater Zucchius on the Moon was named after him, in acknowledgement of his scientific achievements.

Zucchi died in Rome in 1670, at the age of 83.

Travel tip:

Parma, where Niccolò Zucchi was born, is one of Italy’s great art cities and has a wealth of churches and palaces containing masterpieces. The ancient city in the region of Emilia-Romagna is also famous for its culinary specialities. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and Prosciutto di Parma, a delicate cured ham, originated there, as well as the many dishes cooked alla parmigiana.

The Collegio Romano, where Zucchi taught

Travel tip:

The Collegio Romano, where Niccolò Zucchi taught in Rome, was established in 1551 by Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit Order. A new building was erected for the College, under the patronage of Pope Gregory XIII, in 1582. The building where Zucchi gave his lectures is in the Pigna district of the city in a square now known as Piazza del Collegio Romano. The building is currently used partly by the Ministry of Heritage and Culture and partly by the Ennio Quirino Visconti high school.

More reading:

Why Galileo Galilei is known as the 'father of modern science'

Giovanni Riccioli - 17th century astronomer who studied the lunar surface 

Vincenzo Coronelli, the friar famous for his finely-crafted globes of the world

Also on this day:

1478: Birth of Baldassare Castiglione, the author of the Italian classic, The Book of the Courtier 

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Giacomo Radini-Tedeschi – bishop

Progressive priest who shaped the destiny of a future Pope

Giacomo Radini-Tedeschi, the
Bishop of Bergamo

Giacomo Radini-Tedeschi, Bishop of Bergamo, who was a mentor for the future Pope John XXIII, died on this day in 1914 in Bergamo.

He was Bishop of the Diocese of Bergamo from 1905 until his death and is remembered with respect because of his strong involvement in social issues at the beginning of the 20th century when he sought to understand the problems of working class Italians.

Radini-Tedeschi was born in 1857 into a wealthy, noble family living in Piacenza in Emilia-Romagna.

He was ordained as a priest in 1879 and then became professor of Church Law in the seminary of Piacenza.

In 1890 he joined the Secretariat of State of the Holy See and was sent on a number of diplomatic missions.

In 1905 he was named Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bergamo by Pope Pius X and was consecrated by him in the Sistine Chapel.

Angelo Roncalli, Pope John XXIII

Radini-Tedeschi was a strong supporter of Catholic trade unions and backed the workers at a textile plant in Ranica, a district of Bergamo Province, during a labour dispute.

Working for him as his secretary at the time was a young priest named Angelo Roncalli who had been born at Sotto il Monte just outside Bergamo into a large farming family.

Roncalli went on to become Pope John XXIII in 1958 but never forgot the values Radini-Tedeschi had taught him.

The Bishop became ill with cancer and died at the age of 57 just after the outbreak of the First World War. His last words are reputed to have been: ‘Angelo, pray for peace.’

Travel tip:

Piacenza, where Radini-Tedeschi was born, is on the western edge of Emilia-Romagna and is in a strategic position between the River Po and the Appenines, situated between Bologna and Milan. It has many fine churches and old palaces with splendid gardens to explore. Piacenza Cathedral was built in 1122 and is a good example of northern Italian Romanesque architecture.

The Church of Santa Maria Immacolata
delle Grazia in Bergamo's lower town

Travel tip:

A landmark in Bergamo’s lower town is the church of Santa Maria Immacolata delle Grazie in Viale Papa Giovanni XXIII, one of the main thoroughfares. The huge church on the corner of Porta Nuova has a 19th century green cupola topped with a golden statue with an early 20th century campanile next to it. But the origins of the church date back to 1422 when a convent was built on the site dedicated to Santa Maria delle Grazie. The beautiful cloisters have been preserved within the church buildings although the convent was suppressed at the beginning of the 19th century. The neoclassical design for the new church was created by architect Antonio Preda. In 1907 the main altar was consecrated in the presence of the bishop, Giacomo Radini- Tedeschi, accompanied by his 26-year-old secretary, Angelo Roncalli, the future Pope John XXIII.

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Giorgio Armani – designer

Former army medic forged brilliant career in fashion

Giorgio Armani

Giorgio Armani, who is considered by many to be Italy's greatest fashion designer, was born on this day in 1934 in Piacenza in Emilia-Romagna.

Known for his menswear and the clean, tailored lines of his collections for women, Armani, who celebrates his 82nd birthday today, has become a multi-billionaire.

His original career plan was to become a doctor and he enrolled in the Department of Medicine at the University of Milan but after three years left to join the army. Due to his medical background he was assigned to the military hospital in Verona.

After he left the army, Armani decided to have a complete career change and got a job as a window dresser for La Rinascente, a Milan department store.

He progressed to become a sales assistant in the menswear department and then moved on to work for Nino Cerruti as a menswear designer.

In 1973 Armani opened a design office in Milan from where he worked as a freelance designer for fashion houses. He founded his own company, Giorgio Armani, in Milan in 1975.

La Rinascente in Milan, with its rooftop garden,
as seen from the roof of the neighbouring Duomo

He began producing designs specifically for the United States and his label soon became one of the leading names in international fashion. He also designed costumes for the film industry and suits for many sports teams, including the England football team.

In 2021, Armani began a multi-year sponsorship agreement as an official supplier to Scuderia Ferrari in return for brand exposure

Armani has built up a network of hundreds of boutiques and stores across nearly 40 countries. In 2019 moved for the first time into fine jewellery, with celebrities Sophia Loren, Brie Larson and Brooke Shields among those spotted wearing Armani jewellery at high-profile events.

He was also the first designer to ban models who had a BMI of less than 18, following the death of a model from anorexia.

Giorgio Armani, who was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in 2021, died in Milan in September, 2025, at the age of 91.

This article was updated in September, 2025.

Travel tip:

La Rinascente in Milan, where Giorgio Armani once worked, is right in the centre of the city in Piazza Duomo, close to the entrance to the Duomo metro stop. The store, which sells clothes and cosmetics as well as house wares, was nominated the Best Department Store in the World at a Global Department Store Summit in 2016. Along with the branch in Via Tritone in Rome, the Milan branch is regarded as one of the company's flagship stores. At its peak, the Rinascente Group operated more than 20 department stores across Italy, including Naples, Florence, Turin, Genoa, Palermo, Catania as well as Milan and Rome. Later, the brand streamlined its operations to focus on luxury retail and today operates just nine stores, emphasizing high-end fashion and design.

Find Milan hotels with Hotels.com

Milan's Via Montenapoleone

Travel tip:

The original Giorgio Armani store in Milan is in Via Montenapoleone in the centre of the city. It reopened in April 2015 after Armani and his team of architects had completely redesigned the store to bring out the original architecture of the building. This was part of the 40th anniversary celebrations of the founding of the company.

Search Expedia for accommodation in Milan

(Photo of Giorgio Armani by GianAngelo Pistoia CC BY-SA 3.0)
(Photo of Via Montenapoleone by Geobia CC BY-SA 4.0)

More reading:

Humble beginnings of shoe designer Salvatore Ferragamo

Guccio Gucci: the lift boy who designed the world's favourite handbags

Miuccia Prada: the former Communist who became a fashion industry giant

Also on this day:

138: Antoninus Pius becomes Emperor of Rome

1576: The murder of noblewoman Eleonora di Garzia di Toledo

1593: The death of artist Giuseppe Arcimboldo

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