Alberto Maria de Agostini
Father Alberto Maria de Agostini born in Pollone, Piedmont was an Italian missionary of the Salesians of Don Bosco order as well as a passionate mountaineer, explorer, geographer, ethnographer, photographer and cinematographer.
Life
De Agostini lived as a missionary in Tierra [del Fuego] and Patagonia, between Chile and Argentina, where he was the first person to reach several mountain peaks, glaciers and sea sounds; and discovered others, some named after him.In January–February 1931 he, Egidio Feruglio, and the alpine mountain guides Croux and Bron, were the first to fully cross the Southern Patagonian [Ice Field]; they did it from Lago Viedma to the vicinity of Patagonian channels of the Pacific Ocean, and back.
In 1941, he was the first to write about Cueva [de las Manos].
He also sustained a long and deep relationship with the native people of Tierra de Fuego.
In addition he has left behind 22 books and written works in Italian, German and Spanish; a precious collection of several hundred photographs; and a documentary film; all of them on Patagonia and Tierra de Fuego and the Fuegian tribes.
He died in Turin on Christmas Day, 1960.
There is now an Alberto de Agostini [National Park] in the western part of Tierra del Fuego named after him.
Published works
Books
Guía Turística de Magallanes y Canales Fueguinos Guía Turística de los Lagos Argentinos y Tierra del Fuego El Lanín y sus alrededores. Parque nacional Ande Patagoniche – viaggi di esplorazione nella Cordigliera Patagonica australe Trent'anni nella Terra del Fuoco- ''Sfingi di ghiaccio''
Films
- ''Terre Magellaniche''