Grave of a Famous Person: Leonardo "Fibonacci" Pisano - Pisa, Tuscany, Italy

Leonardo "Fibonacci" Pisano

Pisa

Tuscany, Italy

N 43° 43.441 E 010° 23.734

Short Description: 

The grave of Leonardo "Fibonacci" Pisano is marked by a statue of the celebrated mathematician in the Camposanto Monumentale cemetery located in Miracle Square, Pisa, Italy.

Long Description: 

The Camposanto Monumentale (Monument Cemetery) is oblong Gothic cloister construction of which was was begun in 1278. It is said to have been built around a shipload of sacred soil from Golgotha, the hill where Jesus was crucified, that was brought back to Pisa from the Fourth Crusade by Ubaldo Lanfranchi, archbishop of Pisa. Many graves are marked by monuments and sculptures.

The grave of Leonardo of Pisa, known as Fibonacci is marked by a life size marble statue. The mathematician is depicted standing on a 4' high marble base, wearing a hooded robe. He is holding a book in his left hand in front of his chest. His right hand protrudes from the robe at waist level with his palm up and fingers slightly spread.

The marble plinth is inscribed:

LEONARDO FIBONACCI

The front of the base is inscribed:

A

LEONARDO FIBONACCI

INSIGNE MATHEMATICO

PISANO

DEL

SECOLO XII

TO

LEONARDO FIBONACCI

DISTINGUISHED MATHEMATICIAN

OF PISA

OF THE 

12TH CENTURY

Fibonacci was born in Italy in 1170 but was educated in North Africa where his father, Guilielmo, held a diplomatic post representing the merchants of the Republic of Pisa. Fibonacci was taught mathematics in Bugia, present day Algeria and travelled widely with his father. During his travels he learned about the mathematical systems used in the countries they visited.

In 1200, he returned to Pisa. There he wrote a number of books which were instrumental in reviving ancient mathematical skills in Medieval Europe. Most important books were Liber abaci (1202), Practica geometriae (1220), Flos (1225), and Liber quadratorum (1225).

Today, Fibonacci is best know for his number series where the next number is the sum of the previously two numbers: 1 1 2 3 5 8 13 21 ... This series was discovered to be of immense importance in many fields of mathematics and science.