Technology & Infrastructure in the 16th century

76 sourced entries, 1501 CE to 1596 CE, oldest first. Also see Technology & Infrastructure across every century or everything else in the 16th century.

1501Mallabairegowda built Devanahalli FortIndia source
1502In Germany, Peter Henlein of Nuremberg uses iron parts and coiled springs to build a portable timepiece.source
1504The Council of Ten discusses the advisability of proposing a scheme of a Suez Canal to the Sultan of Egypt, at the time Al-Ashraf Qansuh al-Ghuri, but the discussion is eventually abandoned.source
1506First bridge at O'Brien's Bridge, County Clare founded by Turlough O'BrienIreland source
1507September 15 – King James IV grants a patent for the first printing press in Scotland, to Walter Chapman and Andrew Myllar "to furnis and bring hame ane prent, with all stuff belangand tharto, and expert men to use the samyne, for imprenting within our Realme of the bukis of our Lawis, actis of parliament, croniclis, mess bukis, and portuus efter the use of our Realme, with addicions and legendis of Scottis sanctis, now gaderit to be ekit tharto, and al utheris bukis that salbe sene necessar, and to sel the sammyn for competent pricis."source
1511Duarte Barbosa arrives in India for the second time. He works as clerk in the factory of Cananor, and as the liaison with the Indian rajah.source
1513Jain temples are built at Achalgarh FortIndia source
1513Construction of Jama Masjid, Champaner beginsIndia source
1515Cardinal Thomas Wolsey orders construction to begin on what is to become Henry VIII's future summer residence Hampton Court Palace.source
1515The Fort Santo Antonio was built.Portugal source
1516Fuggerei is established in Augsburg (Bavaria), as the world's oldest social housing complex still in use.source
1516Church of Our Lady of Light is built in ChennaiIndia source
1517The city of Le Havre is founded by King Francis I and construction on its port is started.France source
1517The Hôtel de Ville, Arras completes construction.France source
1520King Manuel I creates the public mail service of Portugal, the Correio Público.source
1526Gunsmith Bartolomeo Beretta establishes the Beretta Gun Company, which will still be in business in the 21st century, making it one of the world's oldest firearm corporations.source
1526Bahadur Shah of Gujarat first reign as sultan of Gujarat Sultanate begins (ends 1535)India source
1527August 3 – The first known letter is sent from North America by John Rut, while at St. John's, Newfoundland, during his voyage to the New World.source
1528Michelangelo Buonarroti begins work on the fortifications of Florence.source
1528Rebuilding the Chateau Fontainebleau in France is begun.France source
1529Fluorite is first described, by Georg Agricola.source
1529A summit level canal between Alster and the Trave in Germany opens to navigation.source
1530The ducal palace of Celle is constructed in Germany.source
1531March 31 – King Henry VIII gives royal assent to numerous acts at the close of the session of the English Parliament, including the Poisoning Act 1530 (providing for boiling to death people convicted of poisioning other persons); the Vagabonds Act 1530 (permitting licensed begging by certified disabled and elderly people); the Egyptians Act 1530 to allow the expulsion of gypsies; and the Bridges Act 1530 for maintenance of bridges.source
1532The Paris Parlement has the city's beggars arrested "to force them to work in the sewers, chained together in pairs".source
1533Remodeling and expansion of the Hôtel de Ville, Paris starts.France source
1537The Indian city of Bangalore is first mentioned in print. .source
1537Act prevents obstruction to navigation on the River Nore by weirs.Ireland source
1537Gripsholm Castle is constructed.Sweden source
1539The first printing press in North America is set up in Mexico City.source
1541June 11 – The Barony of Dunboyne is created by patent in the Peerage of Ireland in favour of Edmond Butler.Ireland source
1541December 10 – Thomas Culpeper and Francis Dereham are both executed at Tyburn after being convicted of treason in committing adultery with Queen Catherine. Culpeper is beheaded, while Dereham is hanged, drawn and quartered. As a warning to the public, the severed heads of both men are placed on spikes on the London Bridge.source
1547Work on construction of the Château de Chambord, in the Loire Valley, for Francis I of France, ceases.source
1549Sher Shah Suri's tomb Chinshjh is constructed in SasaramIndia source
1549Expanded mining activities especially copper production in Falun.Sweden source
1549Construction begins at Uppsala CastleSweden source
1550The summit level canal between the Alster and the Trave in Germany ceases to be navigable.source
1552January – James Croft, Lord Deputy of Ireland, is commissioned to look into the state of mining in Ireland.Ireland source
1553Tonbridge School is founded by Sir Andrew Judde, under letters patent of Edward VI of England.source
155425 September - The monarch orders the burghers of the capital to finance the building of Naval ships.Sweden source
1559Valentine Browne is appointed Surveyor General of Ireland by Queen Elizabeth.Ireland source
1560The oldest surviving violin (dated inside), known as the Charles IX, is made in Cremona, in northern Italy.source
15611 March - Inauguration of the Kullen Lighthouse.Sweden source
1562The Pünte at Wiltshausen, a small, hand-operated ferry, which becomes a historic monument in the late 20th century, is first recorded.source
1562The stone bridge and west gate at Galway is completed by Thomas Óge Martyn (mayor for second term 1562–63).Ireland source
1565October – The first Martello tower, the Tour de Mortella, designed by Giovan Giacomo Paleari Fratino (el Fratin), is completed as part of the Genovese defence system at Mortella (Myrtle) Point, in Upper Corsica.source
1566Between July 19, 1566 and July 7, 1567 (during the Islamic calendar year 974 AH) – The first bridge crossing the Neretva River at Mostar in Herzegovina is completed by the Ottoman Empire. The white marble bridge becomes known as Stari Most ("Old Bridge").source
1566Vellore Fort, a large fort situated in Vellore Tamil Nadu, India is builtIndia source
1567Construction of Villa Capra "La Rotonda" in Vicenza, designed by Andrea Palladio, begins. It will be one of the most influential designs in the history of architecture.source
1569May 31 – Kasim Pasha of the Ottoman Empire begins the Ottoman attempt to conquer Astrakhan with tens of thousands of troops and a plan to build a canal between the Black Sea to the Caspian Sea to send Ottoman ships on the conquest. The attempt to build a canal proves to be unfeasible.source
1570The Whitechapel Bell Foundry is known to be in existence in London. By 2017, when it closes its premises in Whitechapel, it will be the oldest manufacturing company in Great Britain.source
1571November – Sir Thomas Smith is granted a patent and indenture from Queen Elizabeth I to establish an English colony on 360,000 acres (145,690 ha) of land in north Down in the territory of the Clandeboye O’Neills.Ireland source
1573The Luzhou Laojiao liquor is made.source
1574June 10 – Construction of The White Tower begins in the Czech Republic.source
1575January 21 – Queen Elizabeth I of England grants a monopoly on producing printed sheet music, to Thomas Tallis and William Byrd.source
1575June – Essex builds a bridge and fort at Blackwater (north of Armagh).Ireland source
1577Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge over the Drina in Višegrad is completed in the Ottoman Empire.source
1578June 11 – Humphrey Gilbert is granted letters patent from the English crown to establish a colony in North America.source
1579Kottayam Cheriapally was built in KeralaIndia source
1580The Dutchman Willem de Wijk is authorized by the crown to command the Swedish mines.Sweden source
1583Building of the fort of Allahabad by Emperor Akbar.India source
1584The Spanish Arch is built in Galway.Ireland source
1585December – Munster Plantation planned.Ireland source
1585The Pont-de-Crau, an unused aqueduct, was built in the eponymous city.France source
1587Construction of Couvent des Feuillants was started.France source
1589January 17 – The French city of Chartres closes its gates to King Henry III and subsequently recognizes 65-year-old Charles I, Cardinal de Bourbon as King Charles X.source
1589May – commission to inquire into progress on the Munster Plantation.Ireland source
1590Glenbuchat Castle built for John Gordon of CairnbarrowScotland source
1590The oldest known paper mill in Scotland, belonging to Mungo Russell, is recorded as operating at Dalry.Scotland source
1591July 22 – The Durtnell (Dartnell) family of Brasted, Kent, England, begin to work as building contractors. The business continues under thirteen generations of the family until ceasing to trade in 2019.source
1591The Rialto Bridge in Venice, designed by Antonio da Ponte, is completed.source
1592The Qutb Shahi monument Char Kaman is built in Hyderabad and Dutch came to IndiaIndia source
1593December 8 – Royal letters patent for the creation of the Jardin des plantes de Montpellier conferred on Pierre Richer de Belleval.France source
1594January 17 – Construction of the Junagarh Fort in the Mughal Empire's principality of Bikaner (now in India's Rajasthan state) is completed after almost five years.source
1595The Scourge of Malice is built and launched, and will go on to be used in the first, second, third and tenth voyages of the East India Company under its later name of Red DragonIndia source
1596The first water closet, by Sir John Harington, is installed in a manor near Kelston in England.source