The printing press was developed by Johannes Gutenberg, a German goldsmith from Mainz, who is documented as working on printing methods in Strasbourg in the late 1430s. His invention combined several elements: a system of movable metal type cast from an alloy in moulds, an oil-based ink, and a press adapted from the screw presses used for wine and paper. His best-known work, the Gutenberg Bible, was completed around 1455. Printing with movable type had existed earlier in China and Korea, but the Gutenberg press spread quickly through Europe, with printing shops in hundreds of towns by 1500. It lowered the cost of books and helped to spread literacy, the Renaissance, the Reformation and the Scientific Revolution.
Before and after
- c. 1435Death of Zheng He
- c. 1436Origins of Chișinău
- from 1438 to 1552Khanate of Qazan
- from 1438 to 1533Inca Empire
- 1439Printing press
- 9 May 1439Birth of Pius III
- 1440Construction of Eton College
- from April 1440 to October 1440Siege of Belgrade
- from 1441 to 1783Crimean Khanate
More in Science & technology
The era
This moment belongs to the Medieval world (500 CE to 1500 CE), kingdoms, faiths and trade routes. You can also browse everything in the 15th century.