The Ghost of Manzetti

On the occasion of the bicentenary of the birth of Innocenzo Manzetti (17 March 1826 – 2026), the Regional Department for Education, Culture and Identity Policies of the Aosta Valley is organising The Ghost of Manzetti, an original, large-scale storytelling project that will fill the streets of Aosta throughout November 2026.

Conceived by the Department of Historical and Artistic Heritage and Cultural Site Management Scientifically curated by researchers Mauro Caniggia Nicolotti and Luca Poggianti, the initiative makes use of urban billboard spaces to restore form and substance to the figure of the eclectic inventor from Aosta. Although his name is associated with squares, schools and the famous automaton housed at the Saint-Bénin Centre, Manzetti is often remembered as an almost ethereal figure, a sort of “illustrious spectre” of the city’s history.

Through displays featuring sketches, patents, designs, calculations and glimpses of everyday life, passers-by will be able to discover the inventions of this genius from Aosta as they stroll through the city.

Online features and upcoming events

The initiative is not limited to the city’s streets:

• Website: All the biographical, scientific and historical details presented in the posters can be explored in greater depth on the portal valledaostaheritage.com.
• Friday 13 November (5.30 pm): In the conference room of the “Bruno Salvadori” Regional Library, Mauro Caniggia Nicolotti and Luca Poggianti will present the book The inventor of the telephone. Innocenzo Manzetti, an Italian genius at the heart of a spy story spanning America and Europe (Lindau Editions, 2026).
• Monday 23 November (6.00 pm): The Teatro dello Spazio Plus will be hosting a screening of the documentary The Rediscovered Genius by director Swan Bergman, produced with the support of the Region and the Aosta Valley Film Commission.