Italy On This Day

Why a 16th century Pope decreed that 10 days would not happen The cover page of the first printed edition of the calendar, in 1582 The Grego...

Pontiff used his power to change the date overnight Pope Gregory XIII took his papal name in honour of another reformer, Gregory I P...

Pontiff who cleaned up and rebuilt Rome and reformed church Pope Sixtus V introduced a programme of measures to tackle Rome's prob...

Professor became fascinated with plants while under house arrest Ulisse Aldrovandi: a portrait housed at the Accademia Carrara in B...

Pope for just 12 days but introduced world's first smoking ban Pope Urban VII banned not only smoking but chewing tobacco and snuf...