Gutenberg Printing Press

The movable-type press that launched the information age/Historical

Johannes Gutenberg's printing press, developed around 1440 in Mainz, Germany, was adapted from existing screw presses used for wine and olive oil. The press stood about 2.1 m tall and 1.5 m wide, with a flat stone or metal platen pressed against inked movable metal type. A skilled operator could produce about 240 impressions per hour. The invention of movable-type printing in Europe (independently developed earlier in East Asia) revolutionized the spread of knowledge and is often cited as one of the most important inventions in human history.