Which came first? · Counterintuitive

Which came first: the birth of Leonardo da Vinci or Switzerland?

Switzerland came first, in 1291 (traditional founding). The birth of Leonardo da Vinci followed 161 years later, in 1452.

  1. Second1452

    The birth of Leonardo da Vinci

    person · born

    Leonardo da Vinci was born out of wedlock in 1452, the son of a notary, in or near the Tuscan town of Vinci.

    Checked against Wikipedia and Wikidata

  2. First1291

    Switzerland

    country · traditional founding

    Switzerland traces its founding to 1291, when three Alpine valleys swore to defend each other.

    Checked against Wikipedia and Wikidata

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.