Casa natale Don Giotto Ulivi

The birth home of Don Giotto Ulivi is located in Via Mazzini, in the heart of Borgo San Lorenzo, and houses a commemorative plaque celebrating one of the most extraordinary figures of the 19th century. His hometown also honors him by naming a street and the local Higher Education Institute after him, a testament to his cultural and scientific legacy. Born on April 5, 1820, Giotto Ulivi was a priest, beekeeper, scholar, and enthusiast of classical culture. Initially a parish priest in Gricignano alle Salaiole, in Mugello, he spent his final years as the parish priest of Santo Stefano in Campi Bisenzio, where he resided from 1878 until his death on February 9, 1892, during a flu epidemic. A multifaceted and energetic personality, Ulivi distinguished himself with his revolutionary studies on beekeeping, publishing works such as: "Theoretical Practical Compendium of Rational Beekeeping" (1869), which went through six editions and was translated into French; "The Italian Bees" and other scientific publications addressing topics like the fertilization of queen bees and honey production; "Rational Beekeeping," a periodical he founded in 1885 and published until 1891. Ulivi was not merely a theoretician: he designed and promoted the Giotto hive, a modular, cost-effective, and functional innovation that allowed even less affluent farmers to raise bees without destroying the hives, thus contributing to their household economy. Don Giotto was a man of great charisma and frankness. In 1848, he was arrested by the Lorenese grand ducal government for publicly criticizing the regime, demonstrating a patriotic and revolutionary spirit. Upon his return to Gricignano, he was welcomed as a hero by his parishioners. With a determined and often polemical character, Ulivi actively participated in the scientific debates of his time, even engaging with prominent international figures. However, he was not always well-received: for instance, his theories on queen bee fertilization were challenged at the First Congress of Italian Beekeepers in 1871. The death of Giotto Ulivi had a significant impact, leading to the establishment of a Committee for Honors, chaired by Count Rucellai and composed of distinguished personalities from across Europe, such as Professor Adolfo Targioni Tozzetti from Florence, Count Pecori Giraldi from Borgo San Lorenzo, and scholars from Amsterdam, Barcelona, and other cities. Despite his fame, much of Ulivi's documents and letters have been lost, as well as his mortal remains, transferred to the old municipal cemetery of Campi Bisenzio. This, however, did not hinder scholars like Marco Accorti from remembering and valorizing Ulivi, described as a "man of integrity," capable of combining scientific rigor and human simplicity. Ulivi founded the Mugellana Beekeeping Association in Borgo San Lorenzo, aimed at promoting local economic development through beekeeping. He always remained deeply connected to his homeland, despite his activities taking him elsewhere. A true pioneer of his time, Giotto Ulivi reminds us that even the simplest ideas – such as a well-designed beehive – can have a revolutionary impact.

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