About
This bank is the oldest in the world and was established in 1472. Its past may shed light on why we refer to financial entities as "banks."
The oldest still existing bank in the world can be found in Siena. It traces its history back to 1472, when it was founded as a monte di pietà (mount of piety). However, this bank may be facing financial difficulties due to its problems with debt and investment. The bank has been operating for over 500 years and it's important to Italy and Tuscany. Unfortunately, most of its historical documents are not open to the public. The headquarters of the bank is located on Piazza Salimbeni in Siena. To the right of the building, there are busts of important figures in Italian and Tuscan history. The days of the Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena might be numbered, but it's still an important part of Italian banking history.
