Aurora consurgens zurich 055 f-27r-55 city

Massimiliano Palombara (1614 – 1680) was

marquis A marquess (; french: marquis ), es, marqués, pt, marquês. is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The German language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman wi ...

of Pietraforte and Conservator of

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

between 1651 and 1677. He is the author of the '' La Bugia'' (''the Candle''), a book of verses, written in 1656 in

. He built the Villa Palombara which included five gates with

occult The occult, in the broadest sense, is a category of esoteric supernatural beliefs and practices which generally fall outside the scope of religion and science, encompassing phenomena involving otherworldly agency, such as magic and mysticism a ...

inscriptions including the still-standing

Porta Alchemica The Alchemical Door, also known as the Alchemy Gate or Magic Portal ( it, Porta Alchemica or ''Porta Magica''), is a monument built between 1678 and 1680 by Massimiliano Palombara, marquis of Pietraforte, in his residence, the , which was located ...

. According to historians, his interest in the occult,

Kabbalah Kabbalah ( he, קַבָּלָה ''Qabbālā'', literally "reception, tradition") is an esoteric method, discipline and Jewish theology, school of thought in Jewish mysticism. A traditional Kabbalist is called a Mekubbal ( ''Məqūbbāl'' "rece ...

and mysticism brought him into contact with

Giuseppe Francesco Borri Giuseppe Francesco Borri (4 May 1627, in Milan – 20 August 1695, in Rome) was an alchemist, prophet, freethinker, physician and eye doctor. Education His mother, Savinia Morosini, died giving birth to him. His father, Branda Borri, was a di ...

, Cardinal

Decio Azzolino Decio Azzolino (11 April 1623 – 8 June 1689) was an Italian Catholic Cardinal, code-breaker, investigator and leader of the Squadrone Volante. Early life Azzolino was born at Fermo, the son of Pompeo Azzolino and Giulia Ruffo. He was the great ...

and his confidant, Queen Christina of Sweden (then living in Rome having converted to Catholicism).''Hidden Beneath the Beauty: Kabbalistic secrets in Italian art''
by Roy Doliner (Rizzoli First, 2012)

References

Marquesses 17th-century alchemists 17th-century occultists Italian alchemists 1614 births 1680 deaths {{Italy-noble-stub