Working replica of 1853 Barsanti-Matteucci engine to be displayed in Poggio Morello
A functioning reproduction of the internal combustion engine designed by Eugenio Barsanti and Felice Matteucci will be showcased in Italy.
A operational reproduction of the internal combustion engine conceived by Eugenio Barsanti and Felice Matteucci will be exhibited in Poggio Morello, Italy, from May 8 to May 16, 2027, as reported by ekuonews.it 
ekuonews.itekuonews.itekuonews.itOpen source ↗. The exhibition coincides with the 31st Fiat 600 Gathering scheduled for May 8–9. The initiative is organized by Mauro Di Addezio alongside the Podium Cultural Association and the Barsanti e Matteucci Foundation, which provided the replica.
The historical prototype
The fundamental concept originated in 1843 when Eugenio Barsanti observed the mechanical force generated by an ignited gas mixture using a Volta pistol during his teaching tenure in Volterra ekuonews.itekuonews.itekuonews.itOpen source ↗. In late 1851, Barsanti partnered with mechanical engineer Felice Matteucci to convert the explosive impulse into continuous mechanical motion. On June 5, 1853, the inventors deposited a technical memoir detailing their work at the Accademia dei Georgofili in Florence, constructing their first working experimental prototype that same year ekuonews.itekuonews.itekuonews.itOpen source ↗.
The inventors obtained a patent protection certificate in England in 1854. Following public recognition of Etienne Lenoir's engine design, the Reale Istituto Lombardo formally affirmed the historical priority of the Barsanti and Matteucci design in 1863, followed by a commemorative plaque installed at the Deutsches Museum in Munich in 2004 ekuonews.itekuonews.itekuonews.itOpen source ↗. The system converted the thrust generated by the combustion of a gaseous mixture into movement via a piston and dedicated kinematic components.
Demonstrator operation
The displayed reproduction features mobile components that illustrate the mechanical linkages and operational cycle of the 1853 device ekuonews.itekuonews.itekuonews.itOpen source ↗. During the public display, a mechanical engineer will explain the technical kinematics, supported by scheduled video screenings and twice-daily explanatory presentations designed for technicians, students, and attendees.
