Beautiful European cities are scattered throughout the continent. Some of those largest in the population are also capital cities, like Moscow and London. However, the largest City in Europe – Istanbul, with a population of over 14 million people, is not the capital at all.

European population mostly lives in big cities, in our post, we will introduce you to the 20 largest cities in Europe by population.

20 largest cities in Europe

Which is the largest city in Europe?

Istanbul, Turkey, 15,8 million inhabitants

Istanbul is not only the largest city in Turkey but as well the most populous city in Europe. Istanbul is serving as its economic, cultural and historical hub.

The City was founded by Greek settlers in the 7th century BC and has been a major center of culture and commerce for over 1600 years.

Istanbul is home to several UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Hagia Sophia Museum previously one of the most beautiful mosques in the world.

Istanbul is one of the 5 cities which lies on two continents.

Moscow, Russia, 12,6 million population

Moscow is the second-largest city in the world

Moscow is not just the capital of Russia, and it’s also home to one of its most historic squares. Red Square has been around since zenith times and still serves as an important location for many ceremonies today.

Named after Saint Basil’s Cathedral, which sits adjacent on its side, this famous rectangular space was first founded in 1455 by Ivan III.

famous churches - moscow landmark

London, United Kingdom, 9 million people

London is the capital city of England and the biggest city in the United Kingdom. It stands on the River Thames (the second longest river in the UK) and has been a major settlement for two millennia. 

Some facts about London history – The City of London, was founded by the Romans as Londinium and retained boundaries close to its medieval ones. Since the 19th century “London” has also been referred to as Greater London. 

London has a strong influence on finance, commerce, entertainment global arts, commerce, education. 

London is a great place to visit with kids, with many parks, free London museums, London zoo – which is one of the best zoo in the world. It’s not surprising that London is the 3rd most visited city in the world.

Saint Petersburg, Russia, 5.4 million

Saint Petersburg is the second-largest city in Russia and a historically strategic port. The City was founded by Tsar Peter the Great on 27 May 1703 and named after the apostle Saint Peter. St Petersburg served as the capital of the Tsardom of Russia and later Russian Empire from 1713 to 1918. After the October Revolution in 1917, it became the Bolshevik’s government base until they moved to Moscow.

Today, Saint Petersburg is known as the “Cultural Capital of Russia” and receives millions of tourists every year. Hermitage in Sankt Petersburg is one of the biggest museums in the world.

Berlin, Germany, 3,6 million

With over 3.6 million inhabitants living, Berlin is the capital and the largest city in Germany. With a population of over 3.7 million, Berlin is the most populous city in the European Union.

The city lies in the Central German dialect area, and its architecture reflects a mix of historical styles. • Berlin is home to many universities, museums, galleries and sporting events.

Madrid, Spain 3,3 million

Madrid is the capital and the biggest city of Spain, with a population of almost 3.4 million people, making it the 6th largest city in Europe.

Madrid is home to two world-famous football clubs, Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid, as well as many other attractions, and Spanish landmarks including museums, parks, and monuments.

Kyiv, Ukraine 2,9 million

Kyiv is the capital and the biggest city in Ukraine. • Kyiv is an important industrial, scientific, educational, and cultural center in Eastern Europe.

Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, is a bustling metropolis that has been home to millions since it became part of Eastern Europe’s newly formed Soviet Union. Kyiv sprawls across 1 810 square kilometres with forests in between rivers and rolling hills covered by lush green trees where people go on weekends or summers if they have them because there isn’t much sunshine here most days, so you’re better off coming visit when outside conditions are nicer than indoors though not everyone likes cold weather which can get pretty chilly at times even during summer months but still worth going out for an adventure!

Today the city, like many towns in eastern Europe, is modernizing rapidly, aimed at reducing the economic divide from the developing city centres in Western Europe. There are a number of different ethnicities that make this place unique in the world. The most prominent group of Ukrainians in the Russian group. In Kiev, a few Armenian Jews and Belorussians reside.

Rome, Italy 2,8 million

Rome is the capital of Italy and the most populous city in the European Union. The City has been inhabited for over 3,000 years and is one of the oldest continuously occupied cities in Europe.

Rome is a major cultural and artistic centre of the world and was home to many famous artists, painters, sculptors, and architects.

In 2019, Rome was visited by 10 million tourists making it one of the most popular tourist destinations in Italy and one of the most visited cities in the world, which is not surprising Rome is full of beautiful Italian landmarks like Colosseum, Forum Romanum, beautiful piazzas with fountains and obelisks.

When you are in Rome, you should visit the smallest country in the world – the Vatican, with its biggest church in the world.

Paris, France 2,1 million

Paris is the capital city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019. The City of Paris is the centre and seat of government of the Île-de-France region and province or Paris Region.

Paris – The City of Love is one that every visitor wants to experience at least once in their lifetime. the city is full of It’s no wonder the Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum – the biggest museum in the world and Notre Dame Cathedral are attracting the tourist. Are among its most famous french landmarks!

Bucharest, Romania

Bucharest is the biggest Romanian city, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial centre. The City was first mentioned in documents in 1459. Bucharest became the capital of Romania in 1862.

Minsk, Belarus, 2 million

Minsk is the capital and largest city of Belarus, located on the Svislach and Niamiha rivers.

Vienna, Austria

Vienna is the national capital, largest city and one of nine states of Austria. • Vienna has about 2 million inhabitants and is the cultural, economic and political centre of Austria. The City was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001.

Hamburg, Germany

Hamburg is the second-largest city in Germany after Berlin and the seventh-largest city in the European Union. The City of Hamburg has a population of over 1.84 million people and a metropolitan area with over five million people.

Warsaw, Poland

Warsaw is the capital of Poland and the largest city in Poland. The city is located on the River Vistula in east-central Poland. The population is officially estimated at 1.8 million residents within the City administrative limits, a greater metropolitan area of 3.1 million residents, which makes Warsaw the 7th most populous capital in the EU.

PKiN Warsaw -poland's capital

Budapest, Hungary

Budapest is the biggest city of Hungary, located on the Danube River – the second longest river in Europe, which used to the divided city into two separate cities – Buda and Pest, which

The city has a population of 1.7 million people and is the center of the Budapest metropolitan area, which has a population of 3.3 million people, which is over 1/3 of the Hungarian population – Check our Facts about Hungary.

Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona is a city in northeastern Spain on the coast, with a population of 1.6 million within city limits. • The City is home to two of the most prestigious universities in Spain: the University of Barcelona and Pompeu Fabra University. • Barcelona is an important cultural center and tourist destination, famous for its architecture, including works by Antoni Gaudí and Lluís Domènech I Montaner which have been designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Munich, Germany

Munich, With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants, is the third-largest city in Germany, after Berlin and Hamburg. • The City’s metropolitan region is home to 6 million people

Kharkiv, Ukraine

•Kharkiv is the second-largest city in Ukraine. • The City is located in the northeast of the country and is the largest city of the historic Slobozhanshchyna region. • Kharkiv was founded in 1654 as a fortress and has grown to become a major centre of industry, trade and Ukrainian culture in Russia. • At the beginning of the 20th century, Kharkiv had a predominantly Russian population, but after Ukrainization, it became populated mainly by Ukrainians.

Milan, Italy

Milan is a city located in northern Italy in the Italian region of Lombardy and the second-most biggest City in Italy after Rome.

What is the difference between the urban centre and urban agglomerations?

The largest cities in Europe are urban agglomerations, which are defined as contiguous built-up areas that are home to a population of 100,000 or more. An urban centre is the core of an urban agglomeration, and is typically the largest and most densely populated area within it.

What is the difference between population measure within city limits (city boundaries) and metropolitan area

The largest cities in Europe are sometimes measured by their population within city limits (city boundaries), and sometimes by their metropolitan area.

Metropolitan areas are defined by the economic and social ties that are found around a central city ei. travel to work patterns, from satellite cities and other urban areas.

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