Linné’s Forgotten Cult Still Blooms

Why this is here: The Société linnéenne de Bordeaux will celebrate its 207th annual festival this June, continuing a tradition that began in the late 18th century.

Researchers at the University of Toulouse discovered that Carl von Linné, an 18th-century Swedish naturalist, is the most influential figure on Wikipedia, surpassing Jesus, Aristotle, and Napoleon. Linné established the first scientific classification of living things and invented the binomial nomenclature still used today—Canis familiaris for dog, for example.

Following his death in 1778, societies formed in his honor, starting in Paris and London, and spread globally to places like Philadelphia and Uppsala. These “Linnéan Societies” held elaborate outdoor celebrations—"Linnéan festivals"—with codified rituals, often on May 24th, believed to be Linné’s birthday.

Participants would gather early to measure weather conditions, meticulously recording data to synchronize observations worldwide, and decorate spaces with portraits and botanical displays. Though these festivals seemed outdated, they helped standardize scientific naming conventions, culminating in international codes prioritizing Linné’s original works. The Société linnéenne de Bordeaux will celebrate its 207th festival this June.