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19th Nuclear Physics Divisional Conference New Trends in Nuclear Physics Applications and Technology Pavia (Italy) September 5-9, 2005 |
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19th Nuclear Physics Divisional Conference New Trends in Nuclear Physics Applications and Technology Pavia (Italy) September 5-9, 2005 |
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Historical information on Pavia
Dating back to pre-Roman times, during the Roman Empire the town of Pavia was a municipality and an important military site. Subsequently, it became a fortified citadel and the last bulwark of the Goths and the Byzantines. After the Longobard conquest, Pavia became the capital of their kingdom and later of the Regnum Italicum until the 12th century.
Afterwards Pavia became an important and active town. Conquered by the Visconti family ruling over Milan, it became an intellectual and artistic centre, being the seat of the University which attracted students from many countries. After the Franco-Spanish war and the battle of Pavia (1525) the town fell under the Spanish occupation until 1713. It was then ruled by the Austrians until 1796, when was occupied by the French army under Napoleon. In 1815 it again passed under Austrian administration until the Second War of Independence (1859) and the unification of Italy one year later.
Pavia is now a municipality of some 90,000 inhabitants and the main centre of a fertile province essentialy devoted to agriculture (wine, rice, cereals, dairy products). Some industries located in the suburbs do not disturb the peaceful atmosphere which comes from the preservation of past memories and the climate of study and meditation associated with its ancient University.
The Conference site
The Conference will be hosted in the historical building of the University in the center of the town.Officially founded in 1361, the University of Pavia dates back to 825 when the first law school was founded. As a famous center of learning in the Middle Ages, the University played an important role in scientific development. The campus is rich with beautiful courtyards and spectacular ancient buildings.
The faculties of Law, Science and Medicine are well-known, as are the Department of Physics: Alessandro Volta developed his "pila", the precursor of the modern battery, at the Pavia University. The University museum devoted to Volta collects many historical instruments and is open to visits: this is the place where the first experiments with electricity on frogs were conducted and where the term "capacitance" used for capacitors was invented.
The University is also famous for its historical "collegi", residential foundations that welcome and host the students of all faculties, in which the Conference participants will be welcome.
