FLORJANČIČ de Grienfeld, Ivan Dizma
* 1. 7. 1691, Ljubljana, Slovenia
† after 1757,
Mathematician, astronomer, land surveyor, cartographer
F. was educated by priests and later himself worked as a priest in various areas of Slovenia, until he finally settled in Stična. There is no data about his death, but it is known that he was still active in 1757. As a mathematician F. wrote about arithmetic, squaring the circle, he wrote a successful geometric manual and defended the use of logarithms. He applied his mathematical knowledge in practice, namely in astronomy and land surveying. He was also concerned with time measurement and he measured the magnetic needle deflection at various places. He built his own observatory where he regularly carried out astronomical observations, on which he wrote reports from 1718 to 1757. In addition he also observed the movement of planets, especially the moon and sun. He acquired the knowledge of modern astronomy and was a supporter of Kepler’s theory of the planets. He was in contact with the leading European astronomers. After he made an inventory of the property of the Stična monastery he began with land surveying. He got an idea to produce an extended map of the central province of Carniola. The intensive work on this project began in 1734. While travelling, he drew topographical sketches, recorded location names in Slovenian and German, measured the height of mountains and hills, etc. After ten years the 12 pages long map in the ratio 1:111.000 was published by the Slovenian engineer Abraham Kaltschmidt, who used copperplate printing. Among other things, this survey map precisely showed Ljubljana in veduta and planview. The complete map of central part of Slovenia was created not earlier than 120 years later.
