Which came first? · Counterintuitive
Which came first: the fall of Constantinople or Switzerland?
Switzerland came first, in 1291 (traditional founding). The fall of Constantinople followed 162 years later, in 1453.
- Second1453
The fall of Constantinople
event · happenedConstantinople fell to the Ottomans in 1453, ending the Byzantine Empire.
- First1291
Switzerland
country · traditional foundingSwitzerland traces its founding to 1291, when three Alpine valleys swore to defend each other.
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All which-came-first pairs · About Older Than You Think · Quiz games
Years from Wikidata, each checked against the item’s English Wikipedia article on 2026-10-18. A year stands for what its label says: a founding, a first patent, a premiere.