Italian author and intellectual Umberto Eco dies at 84

Italian author and intellectual Umberto Eco died Friday at the age of  84. 

The death of the writer, best known for his novel "The Name of the Rose", was confirmed by his family through the Italian newspaper "La Repubblica."

The author, who had been suffering from cancer, passed away at 9.30pm (8.30pm GMT) on Friday, "La Repubblica" said on its website.

Umberto Eco was born on January 5, 1937 in Alessandria in the northern region of Piedmont and is considered by many to be one of the greatest writers in modern Italian literature.