> Having been born in Königsberg in 1724, he never left the small German city, dying there in 1804 aged 79 never having once gone further than the city’s limits.
Totally false! Slander! He once went as far as the village of Jarnołtowo, a whole 60 miles from Königsberg![0]
But yeah. Maybe not one of history’s greatest travelers.
It's because he got stuck on the bridges.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Bridges_of_K%C3%B6nigsbe...
He made plans for a trip to Paris to read a specific book, but the librarians he had been corresponding with mailed it to him as a sign of respect for his time.
Reminds me of Emilio Salgari (late 19th century, Italy's Jules Verne), one of my favorite authors growing up. He has many books on Malaysian pirates, Wild west cowboys (he's apparently considered the grandfather of the spaghetti western), adventures in India, etc. Always thought he must have been an adventurer, or at least a sailor. He never left Verona.