Lagado

Lagado is the name of the principal city and seat of the Grand Academy in the fictional country of Lagado on the island of Balnibarbi, as described in Jonathan Swift's satirical novel, Gulliver's Travels (Book III, "A Voyage to Laputa, Balnibarbi, Glubbdubdrib, Luggnagg, and Japan").

Lagado is depicted as a place where intellectuals and scientists engage in highly impractical and often absurd experiments, far removed from the realm of practical application and common sense. The Academy in Lagado is a satirical representation of the Royal Society and other scientific institutions of Swift's time, highlighting the perceived futility and misdirection of some intellectual pursuits.

The projects undertaken at the Academy are characterized by their outlandish nature and their lack of benefit to society. These include endeavors such as extracting sunbeams from cucumbers, turning excrement back into food, and building houses from the roof down. These projects serve as a commentary on the dangers of excessive theoretical speculation without a grounding in practical considerations.

The city itself suffers from the Academy's influence, as the focus on impractical research leads to neglect of agriculture, architecture, and other essential aspects of civic life. The inhabitants, similarly influenced, abandon traditional practices in favor of untested and often ludicrous innovations, resulting in widespread societal decay and hardship. The overall portrayal of Lagado and its Academy functions as a biting critique of misguided intellectual pursuits and the detachment of some intellectuals from the needs of the broader population.