Giovanni Dondi dall'Orologio

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Giovanni Di Dondi clock

Giovanni Dondi dall'Orologio (c. 1330 – 1388) was an Italian physician, astronomer, and clockmaker. He is best known for his pioneering work in horology and for constructing the Astrarium, an elaborate astronomical clock.

Early Life and Education

Giovanni Dondi was born in Chioggia, a town near Venice, around 1330. He was the son of Jacopo Dondi dell'Orologio, a notable physician and clockmaker. Giovanni followed in his father's footsteps, studying medicine and the sciences at the University of Padua, where he later became a professor.

Contributions to Horology

Giovanni Dondi is most renowned for his creation of the Astrarium, an astronomical clock that he began constructing in 1348 and completed in 1364. The Astrarium was a complex mechanism that displayed the positions of the Sun, Moon, and the five known planets of the time: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. It also showed the zodiac and the calendar.

The Astrarium was a significant advancement in the field of horology and demonstrated the potential of mechanical clocks to model celestial movements. This invention earned Giovanni Dondi a place among the most important figures in the history of clockmaking.

Medical Career

In addition to his work in horology, Giovanni Dondi was a respected physician. He practiced medicine and taught at the University of Padua, where he contributed to the medical knowledge of his time. His medical writings, although less famous than his horological work, were influential in the development of medical science in the late Middle Ages.

Legacy

Giovanni Dondi's work had a lasting impact on both horology and astronomy. The Astrarium inspired future generations of clockmakers and astronomers, and his detailed descriptions of the clock's mechanisms provided valuable insights into medieval engineering and scientific thought.

Related Pages

• Jacopo Dondi dell'Orologio
• Astrarium
• Horology
• University of Padua
• Astronomical clock