Villa la Radicchia, Polcanto, Borgo San Lorenzo, Florence, Italy
The Isidoro Ferri Encounter
Caretaker Isidoro Ferri reported waking around 03:00 to a brilliant beam outside Villa la Radicchia, seeing a dark humanoid-like figure about 40 m away, then a sequence of luminous phenomena culminating in a red sphere that rose silently. Investigators later reported three small circular ground depr
Why This Case Matters
A substantial Italian close-encounter case because it combines a named witness, prompt field investigation, reported Carabinieri involvement and photographed ground marks—while the extraordinary narrative still rests primarily on Ferri.
Chronology
- Night 9–10 Oct 1984 Ferri awakened by intense light
- reports figure/light sequence and brief paralysis
- red sphere rises toward Vaglia
- Carabinieri/researchers inspect site
- three small depressions documented; radiation check reportedly negative
- case enters Italian UFO research literature
The Witnesses
Evidence
The following evidence types are documented for this case:
Conventional explanations: Poacher/hunter with headlamp fits Ferri's initial interpretation of the figure; sleep-transition physiology can fit paralysis/heat sensations; vehicle/farm lights and non-diagnostic pre-existing ground marks remain possible.
What Remains Unresolved
- Original Carabinieri documentation
- exact date conflict in secondary catalogues
- first-generation site photographs
- independent statements from family/local witnesses
- provenance of radiation test and ground-mark measurements.
Key Takeaways
- The official/field footprint makes this more than folklore, but the ground marks are non-diagnostic and the extraordinary sequence is still principally single-witness testimony.
Sources
Primary and secondary sources for this case file: