Banco di Santo Spirito

Not to be confused with Banco Espírito Santo.

The Bank of the Holy Spirit (Italian: Il Banco di Santo Spirito) was a bank founded by Pope Paul V on December 13, 1605. The bank was the first central bank in Europe (as the bank of the Papal States) at a level above city-states,[1] the first public deposit bank in Rome,[2] and the oldest continuously operating bank in Rome until its merger in 1992.[3]

  1. ^ Euvino, Gabrielle. 2001. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Italian History and Culture. Alpha Books. ISBN 0-02-864234-1. p. 106.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference freiberg was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Fodor's Online Travel Guide. 2007. "Touring Old Rome."