Which came first? · Counterintuitive
Which came first: the Forbidden City or the birth of Marco Polo?
The birth of Marco Polo came first, in 1254. The Forbidden City followed 166 years later, in 1420 (built).
- Second1420
The Forbidden City
landmark · builtThe Forbidden City in Beijing was completed in 1420 and was home to 24 emperors.
- First1254
The birth of Marco Polo
person · bornMarco Polo was born in Venice around 1254.
More pairs that fool people
- Which came first: the Forbidden City or Hagia Sophia?
- Which came first: Magna Carta or the birth of Marco Polo?
- Which came first: the birth of Marco Polo or the Mongol Empire?
- Which came first: the Black Death or the Forbidden City?
- Which came first: Machu Picchu or the birth of Marco Polo?
- Which came first: the death of Genghis Khan or Great Britain (the kingdom)?
- Which came first: the death of Genghis Khan or Machu Picchu?
- Which came first: the fall of Constantinople or Switzerland?
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.