Giuseppe Barilli was born in in 1812. His love for the Classics led him to change his name in 1837 to Quirico Filopanti.
A multifaceted character, sort of a genius, Filopanti is remembered as being the precursor of the invention of time zones, which he called “longitudinal days”, first presented in 1858 in London, where he was living in exile because of his support for the Roman Republic of 1849.
A lecturer of Applied Mechanics at the University of Bologna, he was never appointed Professor due to his refusal to swear allegiance to the crown.
A Parliamentary Deputy for the Republican Party until 1892, Filopanti is also recalled for his inspired, visionary genius, which led him to invent instruments to relieve the load of workers (a steamplough, aqueducts for land reclamation on the plains, etc.), none of which were ever built, however.
He died in poverty in Bologna in 1894.
Budrio dedicated to its most famous son its main square, named Piazza Filopanti, and a monument situated in the centre of the area.
Quirico Filopanti , as well as other patriots of the Risorgimento, gave speeches and rallies in the Teatro Consorziale of Budrio.
Interests
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