Florence has honored two pioneering women in science, Marie Curie and Ernestina Paper, by naming new streets after them — a tribute to their groundbreaking achievements and lasting influence. The dedication ceremony took place on Wednesday, October 8, 2025.
The initiative, promoted by the city’s Department of Toponymy, celebrates two figures who paved the way for generations of women in science and academia. The two new streets are located inside the redeveloped Manifattura Tabacchi complex.
Marie Curie (Warsaw, 7 November 1867 – Passy, 4 July 1934) was a physicist, chemist and mathematician whose discoveries transformed modern science. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and remains the only person ever to receive two Nobel Prizes in different scientific fields — Physics and Chemistry — for her pioneering research on radioactivity. Her studies led to the discovery of polonium and radium, and her work laid the foundations for advances in medical imaging and cancer treatment. The newly created via Marie Curie runs from via Elsa Morante to the newly named via Paper.
Ernestina Paper (Odessa, 1846 – Florence, 14 February 1926) was a physician and one of the earliest women in Italy to practice medicine. After moving to Florence, she became the first woman in unified Italy to earn a university degree, graduating in Medicine and Surgery from the Istituto di Studi Superiori Fiorentino in 1877. Her achievement marked a turning point for women’s access to higher education in the country. The street named after her, via Ernestina Paper, connects via Marie Curie and via Giuseppe Tartini.
By dedicating streets to Marie Curie and Ernestina Paper, Florence pays homage to two extraordinary women who embodied intellectual courage and scientific excellence — reminding residents and visitors alike of the vital role women have played in shaping history.
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