The European Physical Society (EPS) has awarded Villa Mondragone the title of "EPS Historic Site," recognizing its prominent role in the history of scientific knowledge. The official ceremony will take place on June 9, with the unveiling of a commemorative plaque at the entrance of the Villa.

Built in 1574 as a summer residence for the papal court, Villa Mondragone has a strong connection to science. In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII signed the bull Inter Gravissimas here, introducing the Gregorian calendar, which is still in use today. In 1611, Galileo Galilei demonstrated the power of his new telescope by pointing it toward the Villa from the Janiculum Hill in Rome.

Villa Mondragone also played a key role in major innovations in the field of communications. In 1932, Guglielmo Marconi conducted pioneering experiments there on ultra-shortwave transmissions. At the request of Pope Pius XI, an experimental link was established between Vatican City and Castel Gandolfo, replacing the old telegraph line on poles. Marconi installed a transmitter in the Vatican and a receiver at Villa Mondragone, achieving outstanding results: the signals arrived with great strength, though slightly weakened in nearby Castel Gandolfo, where the receiver was later relocated. In 1933, thanks to this research, the Vatican inaugurated the world’s first fixed microwave telephone link, marking the beginning of modern telephony.

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