Which came first? · Counterintuitive
Which came first: Newcomen's steam engine or the Spanish Steps?
Newcomen's steam engine came first, in 1712 (first one built). The Spanish Steps followed 13 years later, in 1725 (completed).
- First1712
Newcomen's steam engine
invention · first one builtNewcomen's steam engines were pumping water out of mines from 1712, 57 years before James Watt improved the design in 1769.
- Second1725
The Spanish Steps
landmark · completedThe Spanish Steps in Rome were completed in 1725.
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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.