Description

Jorge Juan y Santacilia (1713‒73) was born in Alicante, Valencia. A humanist, naval engineer, and scientist, he was one of the most prominent scholars of the Spanish Enlightenment. A versatile man who promoted Enlightenment ideas in Spain, he enjoyed prestige throughout Europe, where he was known as “the learned Spaniard.”  His observations led to improvements in the metric system and helped to determine the exact shape of the Earth, proving that it is not perfectly round. He also played a decisive role in the reform of shipyards during the ...