Who created the Piano?

The piano was invented in the early 18th century by Bartolomeo Cristofori, an Italian instrument maker. Cristofori's invention was originally called a "gravicembalo col piano e forte", which translates to "harpsichord with soft and loud". This instrument was the predecessor to the modern piano, and featured hammers that struck strings to produce sound, allowing for both soft (piano) and loud (forte) playing dynamics.