The history lessons at the Auditorium of the Italian High School IMI in Istanbul return for 2025. Inventions is the title of this new series, conceived by Editori Laterza and produced in collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute of Istanbul and the Italian High School IMI in the Turkish city.

The next lecture will take place on February 13 at 7:00 PM at the IMI High School Theatre, featuring historian, writer, and Mediterranean history expert Alessandro Vanoli, who will discuss the compass.

It is often said that the compass was invented in Amalfi, but this is not entirely true. The history of the compass is a story of cultural encounters across the oceans around the 10th century, involving Chinese, Arab, Greek, and Latin travelers. An encounter that would forever change the course of navigation, linking maritime routes to winds and geographic directions.

A journey that begins with a magnetized needle and continues through the markings on nautical charts, leading up to today’s technological advancements.

Simultaneous translation into Italian and Turkish will be available for all lectures. Admission is free, but reservations are required.