Umberto Eco funeral: Italy’s cultural elite gather to remember an ‘unforgettable genius’

Academic praised for being a leading proponent of 'good politics', as opposed to the venal and murky law-making that has stained Italian life for many decades

Men carry the coffin of late Italian novelist Umberto Eco, at the Sforza Castle in Milan (Getty Images)

For millions of Italians the funeral of Umberto Eco in Milan was significant not only as a commemoration of a great public intellectual; it was also an important symbol of another Italy, far removed from bunga bunga, the Mafia and tacky TV game shows.

The Italy of art, culture and literature that has changed the world is still there, away from the headlines, said speakers who paid tribute to the celebrated philosopher, academic and novelist, who died on Friday, aged 84, from cancer.

Huge crowds arrived at Milan’s Castello Sforzesco for the event, for which the state broadcaster RAI provided live coverage.

Milan’s Mayor Giuliano Pisapia hailed Eco as “a great and unforgettable genius” who was “kind and gentle” and had the ability to talk “to anyone and everyone”.

Mr Pisapia praised Eco for being a leading proponent of “good politics”, as opposed to the venal and murky law-making that has stained Italian life for many decades.

The writer’s withering put-downs of Silvio Berlusconi were not forgotten by the Italian right in the form of Libero newspaper, which has questioned his cultural legacy.

But speakers at his funeral, including the Culture Minister, Dario Franceschini, paid tribute to Eco’s worldwide influence and huge popular appeal, as revealed by the success of highbrow novels such as Foucault’s Pendulum and The Name of the Rose.

His final book, a collection of essays named Pape Satan Aleppe, will be published on Friday.