Few places in the world exist that are truly supportive of people willing to take risks... and of course, even fewer places exist that encourage people to actively seek risk.
Italy during the Renaissance was busy producing some of the greatest works of art. It was no coincidence that artists Michelangelo, Raphael, and Botticelli all happened to live within a 250 km radius of each other. Hell, even the man behind one of the most well-known pieces of art (The Mona Lisa) lived within that radius, at the same time as the previous three. And though their work is now considered "priceless", they lived through a time that was as punishing as it could get and their pieces weren't without controversy and risk... and yet these world renowned artists pursued their callings. Later in the century many other Italians did the same thing, some in Arts and some in Astronomy. One particular name that stands out is that of Galileo's, who was condemned by the Catholic church for pursuing his own version of the truth.
Similarly, Western Europe during the late 1800s and early 1900s was in a similar position. Within a few hundred kilometers of each other lived people like Albert Einstein, Max Planck, Erwin Schrödinger, and Madame curie. Here is a picture showing 29 of some of the greatest minds to ever embrace science.... They lived... close to each other... at the same time. It, too, was no coincidence.
