Alessandro Marzo Magno in 'Venice and the Dawn of Books

The printing press was invented in Germany, but developed in Italy, particularly in Venice, the city that became the undisputed capital of publishing in the 16th century. Half of all European editions and three quarters of Italian editions were published in Venice. The first Greek book in history, the first Armenian book, the first Bible in the Italian vernacular, the first Talmud, the first Koran in Arabic, the first illustrated medical book and the first pornographic book were all printed in Venice.