Bartolomeo Gastaldi (10 February 1818 – 5 January 1879) was an Italian
geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid, liquid, and gaseous matter that constitutes Earth and other terrestrial planets, as well as the processes that shape them. Geologists usually study geology, earth science, or geophysics, althou ...
and
palæontologist, and one of the founders of the
Club Alpino Italiano
The Club Alpino Italiano is the senior Italian alpine club which stages climbing competitions, operates alpine huts, marks and maintains paths, and is active in protecting the Alpine environment.
It was founded in Turin in 1863 by the then finan ...
.
Gastaldi was born in
Turin
Turin ( , Piedmontese language, Piedmontese: ; it, Torino ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in Northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital ...
, then capital of the
Kingdom of Sardinia
The Kingdom of Sardinia,The name of the state was originally Latin: , or when the kingdom was still considered to include Corsica. In Italian it is , in French , in Sardinian , and in Piedmontese . also referred to as the Kingdom of Savoy-S ...
. As a child he developed a passion for fossils; the finds he made during excursions in the areas around Turin and
Asti
Asti ( , , ; pms, Ast ) is a ''comune'' of 74,348 inhabitants (1-1-2021) located in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, about east of Turin in the plain of the Tanaro River. It is the capital of the province of Asti and it is deemed t ...
were to form the basis for his extensive collection of fossils and geological specimens. Under pressure from his father he studied law at the
University of Turin, Faculty of Law
The University of Turin Department of Law is the law school of the University of Turin.
It is commonly shortened ''UNITO Department of Law''.
It traces its roots to the founding of the University of Turin, and has produced or hosted some of the m ...
; after graduating in 1839 he entered the legal profession.
On the death of his father in 1843 he abandoned his legal work and devoted his energies to geology and palaeontology, making field trips in various parts of Italy and in Spain. He spent the years 1849–52 in Paris taking courses at the
Ecole des Mines, the
Jardin des Plantes, the
Collège de France
The Collège de France (), formerly known as the ''Collège Royal'' or as the ''Collège impérial'' founded in 1530 by François I, is a higher education and research establishment (''grand établissement'') in France. It is located in Paris ne ...
and the
Sorbonne
Sorbonne may refer to:
* Sorbonne (building), historic building in Paris, which housed the University of Paris and is now shared among multiple universities.
*the University of Paris (c. 1150 – 1970)
*one of its components or linked institution, ...
. A particular interest was
glaciology
Glaciology (; ) is the scientific study of glaciers, or more generally ice and natural phenomena that involve ice.
Glaciology is an interdisciplinary Earth science that integrates geophysics, geology, physical geography, geomorphology, climato ...
. Also at this time he first met
Quintino Sella
Quintino Sella (; 7 July 1827 – 14 March 1884) was an Italian politician, economist and mountaineer.
Biography
Sella was born at Sella di Mosso, in the Province of Biella.
After studying engineering at Turin, he was sent in 1843 to study mi ...
with whom he was to form a lasting friendship.
He became professor of
mineralogy
Mineralogy is a subject of geology specializing in the scientific study of the chemistry, crystal structure, and physical (including optical) properties of minerals and mineralized artifacts. Specific studies within mineralogy include the proces ...
and geology at the University of Turin.
On 23 October 1863, together with
Quintino Sella
Quintino Sella (; 7 July 1827 – 14 March 1884) was an Italian politician, economist and mountaineer.
Biography
Sella was born at Sella di Mosso, in the Province of Biella.
After studying engineering at Turin, he was sent in 1843 to study mi ...
and others, he founded the
Club Alpino Italiano
The Club Alpino Italiano is the senior Italian alpine club which stages climbing competitions, operates alpine huts, marks and maintains paths, and is active in protecting the Alpine environment.
It was founded in Turin in 1863 by the then finan ...
, the first and largest Italian
Alpine Club
The first alpine club, the Alpine Club, based in the United Kingdom, was founded in London in 1857 as a gentlemen's club. It was once described as:
:"a club of English gentlemen devoted to mountaineering, first of all in the Alps, members of which ...
, becoming its first vice-president. The following year he was appointed as its second president, an office he held until 1872.
In 1870, he was made a member of the
Accademia nazionale delle scienze The Accademia Nazionale delle Scienze (), or more formally L'Accademia Nazionale delle Scienze detta dei XL, and also called the Accademia dei XL (), is Italy's national academy of science. Its offices are located within the Villino Rosso, at the co ...
.
Bartolomeo Gastaldi died in Turin in 1879.
Recognitions
The mineral
gastaldite, a type of
glaucophane
Glaucophane is the name of a mineral and a mineral group belonging to the sodic amphibole supergroup of the double chain inosilicates, with the chemical formula ☐Na2(Mg3Al2)Si8O22(OH)2.
Glaucophane crystallizes in the monoclinic system.
Name
G ...
, is named after him; so too are the
Rifugio Bartolomeo Gastaldi (a
mountain hut
A mountain hut is a building located high in the mountains, generally accessible only by foot, intended to provide food and shelter to mountaineers, climbers and hikers. Mountain huts are usually operated by an Alpine Club or some organization d ...
in the
Graian Alps
The Graian Alps (french: Alpes grées ; it, Alpi Graie ) are a mountain range in the western part of the Alps.
Etymology
The name ''Graie'' comes from the ''Graioceli'' Celtic tribe, which dwelled in the area surrounding the Mont Cenis pass and t ...
), the mountain called
Cresta Gastaldi
Cresta may refer to:
* Cresta, Gauteng, a suburb in South Africa
* CRESTA, Catastrophe Risk Evaluating and Standardizing Target Accumulations
* Cresta Awards, international advertising awards
* Cresta (soft drink)
* Vauxhall Cresta, an automobil ...
in the
Gran Paradiso
, photo = Gran_Paradiso.jpg
, photo_caption = The Gran Paradiso
, elevation_m = 4061
, elevation_ref =Geoportale IGM owww.pcn.minambiente.it/ref>
, prominence_m = 1879
, prominence_ref =
, range = Graian Alps
, parent_peak =
, listing = ...
group, and the
Punta Gastaldi
Punta is an Afro-indigenous dance and cultural music originating in the Caribbean Island of Saint Vincent And The Grenadines by the Garifuna people before being exiled from the island. Which is also known as Yurumei. It has African and Arawak ...
, a peak near
Monviso
Monte Viso or Monviso (; oc, Vísol; Piedmontese: ''Brich Monviso'' or ''Viso'') is the highest mountain of the Cottian Alps. It is located in Italy close to the French border. Monte Viso is well known for its pyramid-like shape and, because it i ...
.
References
:''This article includes material translated fro
this versionof its counterpart in the ''
Italian Wikipedia
The Italian Wikipedia ( it, Wikipedia in italiano) is the Italian-language edition of Wikipedia. This edition was created on May 11, 2001 and first edited on June 11, 2001. As of , , it has articles and more than registered accounts. It is th ...
''.''
* .
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gastaldi, Bartolomeo
1818 births
1879 deaths
Scientists from Turin
University of Turin alumni
University of Paris alumni
University of Turin faculty
19th-century Italian geologists
Italian paleontologists
Italian mountain climbers
Italian expatriates in France
Club Alpino Italiano