Countries come and go surprisingly often throughout history. Some institutions, organizations, and dynasties have managed to outlast entire empires and nations, surviving for centuries while borders changed around them.
1. Oxford University
Teaching existed in Oxford by the late eleventh century, making the university older than countries such as Canada, Germany, Australia, Italy, and the United States. Students were attending lectures there before the Magna Carta was signed.
2. The Japanese Imperial Family
Japan’s imperial family traces its origins back more than a thousand years and is widely considered the world’s oldest continuing hereditary monarchy. The institution itself is older than nearly every modern country that exists today.
3. The Icelandic Parliament
Iceland’s Alþingi was founded in 930 AD and is often described as one of the world’s oldest surviving parliamentary institutions. It predates many modern democracies by centuries.
4. The Bank of Monte dei Paschi di Siena
Founded in 1472 in Italy, Monte dei Paschi is generally considered the world’s oldest surviving bank. It has continued operating through wars, revolutions, and economic crises that wiped out countless governments and currencies.
5. The Swiss Guard
The Vatican’s Swiss Guard has protected popes since 1506. The organization is older than many countries in North and South America and has survived more than five centuries of European political change.
6. The Royal Mint
The British Royal Mint traces its origins back more than 1,100 years. It was producing coins long before countries such as Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa existed in their modern forms.