Leonardo da Vinci was born in Italy, in or near the Tuscan hill town of Vinci, on April 15, 1452.
At the time, Italy was not yet a unified country. Vinci belonged to the Republic of Florence, one of several independent states on the Italian peninsula. Leonardo’s birthplace is now part of Tuscany, Italy, near Florence. The name “da Vinci” means “from Vinci,” identifying his place of origin rather than a modern-style family surname.
Leonardo was born to Ser Piero, a Florentine legal notary, and Caterina, who came from a lower social background. He later trained in Florence in the workshop of Andrea del Verrocchio, where he developed the skills that helped him become a painter, sculptor, engineer, anatomist, and inventor.
A common mix-up is saying Leonardo was born in Florence or France. He worked extensively in Florence and Milan, and he died in France in 1519, but his birthplace was Vinci. His best-known works include the Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, and the Vitruvian Man.