List of largest European cities in history

Over the centuries, cities in Europe have changed a great deal, rising and falling in size and influence. These tables give an idea of estimated population at various dates from the earliest times to the most recent:

Timeline: Neolithic–Bronze Age–Iron Age–ancient Greece–Roman Republic (7000–1 B.C.)

City	7000	6500 – 6000	5000	4000	3800	3000 – 2500	2000	1600	1300	1000	700	600	500 – 400	300	200	100 – 1
Athens									10,000 – 15,000	2,500 – 5,000	5,000 – 10,000	70,000 – 100,000 – 130,000	150,000 – 350,000 – 610,000	120,000 – 200,000 – 300,000 – 431,000		100,000 – 200,000	[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]
Argos										600 – 1,200	5,000 – 10,000		30,000 – 60,000				[3][14][22][23][24][25]
Aegina													20,000 – 40,000				[26]
Akrotiri								8,000 – 15,000 – 30,000									[27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35]
Agrigento													200,000 – 800,000				[36][37][38][39][40]
Avaricum																40,000[41]
Bibracte																30,000[42]
Cerveteri												25,000 – 40,000					[43][44][45][46][47]
Capua													100,000		300,000	100,000	[48][49][50][51][52][53]
Choirokoitia	300 – 600	2,000															[54][55][56][57][58][59][60]
Corinth											5,000[61]		50,000 – 90,000 – 100,000				[62][63][64]
Crotone													50,000 – 80,000				[65]
Dobrovody					10,000 – 16,000												[66][67]
Dimini			300														[68]
Durrington Walls						4,000											[69][70][71]
Fedorivka				6,000													[67]
Gournia								4,000									[72][73]
Heuneburg												10,000					[74][75][76][77]
Ischia											5,000 – 10,000						[78][79][80]
Knossos		100	1,000			1,300 – 2,000	18,000	20,000 – 40,000 – 100,000	30,000		5,000 – 10,000						[3][14][27][81][82][83][84][85][86][87]
Lepenski Vir		150 – 1,000															[88][89][90][91][92][93]
Mycenae							20,000[94]		30,000 – 35,000								[87][95]
Manika (Greece)						6000 – 15,000											[96][97][98][99][100][101]
Malia						700 – 1,000		5,000 – 10,000 – 12.500									[27]
Maidanetske					10,000 – 29,000 – 46,000												[66][102][103]
Nea Nikomedeia		500 – 700															[104]
Okolište			1000 – 3000														[102]
Palaikastro								18,000									[27][105]
Populonia												25,000 – 40,000					[45][46][106][107]
Tarquinia												20,000 – 25,000 – 40,000					[45][46][106][107]
Vinča-Belo Brdo			2000 – 2500														[108][109]
Veii												25,000 – 40,000 – 100,000					[45][46][106][107][110][111][112]
Volsinii												13,000 – 25,000 – 40,000					[45][46][106][107]
Vulci												15,000 – 25,000 – 40,000					[45][46][106][107]
Sesklo		300	1000 – 5000														[113][114][115][116][117]
Sparta													40,000 – 50,000				[2][118]
Syracuse, Sicily													200,000 – 800,000 – 1,200,000	200,000 – 400,000			[40][119][120][121][122][123][124][125]
Sybaris													100,000 – 300,000				[126][65][127][128][129][130]
Solnitsata			350														[131][132]
Tiryns						1,200 – 1,800			10,000	15,000							[133][134][62]
Nebelivka				17,000													[67]
Taranto													100,000 – 300,000				[53][135][136]
Talianky					15,000 – 30,000												[67][137][138][139]
Thebes, Greece						4,000 – 6,000			8,000				30,000 – 60,000				[140] [141][142][143][144]
Los Millares						1,000 – 2,300											[145][146][147]
Pavlopetri							500	2,000									[148][149]
Rome										3,145 – 7,400	24,240 – 60,600	80,000	130,000	250,000 – 300,000	350,000	500,000 – 1,000,000	[53][150][151][152][153] [154][155][156][157][158][159][160][161]
Rhodes														100,000 – 200,000	100,000		[20][21][162]

Timeline: Roman Empire–modern age (1–1800 A.D.)

City	1 – 100	200	300	400	500	600	700	800	900	1000	1100	1200	1300	1400	1500	1600	1700	1800
Agrigento	50,000																		[163]
Athens	30,000 – 90,000				110,000								25,000	35,000 – 50,000	40,000				[164][165][166][167]
Aquileia	12,000 – 100,000	100,000																	[168][169][170]
Augsburg	25,000 – 50,000	25,000 – 50,000										12,000		50,000	30,000 – 50,000	45,000 – 50,000 – 100,000	26,000	28,000 – 32,000	[171][172][173][174][175][176][177]
Amalfi										80,000									[178]
Antwerp													5,000	20,000	100,000 – 200,000	46,000 – 90,000	75,000		[179][180][181][182][183]
Arles				75,000 – 100,000															[184][185][186]
Autun	40,000 – 100,000																		[187][188][189]
Amsterdam															30,000	65,000 – 100,000 – 175,000	175,000 – 200,000 – 210,000	195,000 – 201,000	[182][190][191][192]
Barcelona													50,000	60,000 – 70,000				100,000	[192][193][194][195]
Bruges													50,000	125,000 – 200,000					[196][197]
Bucharest																60,000	50,000		[198]
Brussels													30,000		100,000	100,000	70,000		[181][191][199]
Bordeaux	15,000												30,000 – 40,000		50,000			100,000	[200][201][202][166][170]
Berlin														6,000		12,000	20,000	172,000	[191][203]
Bologna												35,000	50,000 – 70,000						[166][204][205]
Bolgar										25,000 – 30,000			50,000						[198]
Capua	30,000																		[170]
Carnuntum	12,000 – 50,000	50,000	50,000																[206][207][208]
Cádiz	100,000																	87,000	[189][209]
Corinth	100,000 – 200,000 – 700,000							45,000 + in 856 AD.[210]											[62][211][212][213][214]
Constantinople/ Istanbul	12,000			400,000	400,000 – 800,000	100,000 – 800,000	100,000 – 800,000	100,000 – 250,000	500,000 – 1,000,000	500,000	300,000	400,000	70,000	100,000	400,000 – 660,000	700,000	300,000 – 700,000	400,000 – 570,000	[215][216][217][218][219][220][221][222][223][224][166][167]
Córdoba	45,000									350,000			60,000						[189][204][225]
Cologne	40,000	40,000						15,000 – 20,000	21,000	20,000	21,000 – 50,000	50,000 – 60,000	50,000 – 60,000	40,000	45,000		40,000	50,000	[205][226][227][228][229][230]
Gdańsk															30,000	60,000 – 80,000			[171][231]
Dublin									1,000 – 2,000	4,000 – 5,000		10,000	20,000				75,000	200,000	[232][233][234][235]
Edirne (Adrianople)								10,000						28,000	125,000	160,000 – 183,000	93,000	100,000	[198]
Feodosia													40,000	85,000 – 88,000	50,000	40,000	36,000 – 44,000		[198]
Florence										15,000		50,000 – 60,000	80,000 – 120,000		70,000	70,000			[236][182][205][226][237][238]
Gela	30,000																		[163]
Genoa										80,000	50,000		100,000	100,000	60,000	70,000	90,000		[236][182][205][239][240][241]
Ghent										5,000	10,000		60,000 – 80,000	70,000 – 80,000	80,000 – 150,000 – 175,000 – 200,000				[180][196][242][243][244][245][246][247][193]
Gortyna	22,500																		[248]
Granada										26,000			150,000	100,000	70,000				[249][250][200]
Hamburg														8,000	15,000 – 20,000	40,000 – 60,000 – 100,000	63,000 – 75,000	117,000 – 130,000	[171][173][177][231][191][251]
Kyiv										10,000	18,000								[252][253]
Lisbon													35,000	50,000 – 60,000	60,000 – 70,000 – 120,000	120,000 – 140,000	200,000	237,000	[209][254][255][256]
London	30,000	45,000 – 50,000 – 60,000						10,000 – 12,000		20,000 – 25,000	10,000 – 20,000	20,000 – 25,000	50,000 – 100,000		50,000 – 100,000 – 120,000	225,000 – 410,000	550,000 – 700,000	861,000 – 1,000,000	[224][257][258][259][260][261][262][263][264]
Lugdunum (Lyon)	50,000 – 100,000 – 200,000	50,000 – 100,000 – 200,000						12,000		20,000					40,000 – 70,000	40,000 – 70,000	100,000	150,000	[231][265][205][266][267][268][269][270]
Leuven													45,000						[271]
Lublin															40,000 – 70,000				[198]
Lübeck												6,000	24,000	30,000 – 37,000	32,000			24,000	[198]
Madrid																60,000	105,000	182,000	[231][191][251]
Magdeburg															30,000	40,000 – 45,000			[171][230]
Marseille	15,000															80,000 – 100,000	80,000	83,000 – 100,000	[231][191][192][251][166][170]
Mainz	15,000							20,000		30,000		25,000	24,000				20,000	20,000 – 42,000	[272][166][170]
Messina																100,000			[190][251][273]
Milan	30,000 – 40,000		40,000	100,000								90,000	200,000	125,000	100,000	180,000	113,000	122,000 – 250,000	[50][236][274][189][191][240][251][275][276][277][278][170]
Metz		40,000						25,000										40,000	[265][269][279]
Montpellier													30,000 – 40,000	15,000				40,000	[265][280]
Moscow													20,000 – 30,000	30,000 – 40,000	100,000	200,000	200,000	270,000	[281][282]
Narbonne	20,000	30,000 – 50,000										31,000							[187][205][166][170]
Naples	30,000							50,000		30,000		30,000	50,000 – 60,000		200,000	350,000	207,000	500,000	[236][191][205][283][284][285][286][287][288][289]
Nimes		40,000 – 60,000																40,000	[265][290][291][292][293]
Nuremberg												10,000	20,000	20,000	20,000 – 52,000	40,000 – 50,000 – 100,000		27,000	[173][175][177][251][294][295][296]
Ostia Antica	20,000 – 50,000 – 100,000	50,000 – 100,000																	[297][298][299][300][301][302]
Ohrid										40,000									[198]
Palermo										60,000 – 350,000	150,000	150,000	50,000			100,000	124,000	135,000	[303][190][191][304][256]
Paris	8,000				30,000		20,000 – 30,000	20,000 – 30,000		20,000	50,000	110,000 – 160,000	228,000 – 275,000 – 300,000	280,000	225,000	245,000 – 420,000	515,000	546,000 – 830,000	[205][224][305][306][307][265][308][309][166][310]
Padua	25,000 – 40,000	25,000 – 40,000	25,000 – 40,000										40,000						[166][311]
Philippi	10,000 – 100,000																		[312][167]
Pliska								44,000											[198]
Plovdiv										20,000		20,000			30,000				[198]
Pozzuoli	30,000 – 100,000																		[50][313][174][170]
Pskov														35,000	52,000 – 60,000				[198]
Preslav									60,000	60,000									[314]
Prague										10,000[315]		22,000	40,000 – 77,000	95,000 – 100,000	70,000	100,000	48,000	77,000 – 100,000	[316][191][317]
Regensburg								25,000		40,000									[274][269]
Reims		30,000 – 50,000																30,000	[187][265]
Rome	1,000,000 – 1,650,000	1,000,000	1,200,000	1,100,000	100,000	90,000	40,000 – 50,000	50,000		30,000			20,000		50,000 – 55,000	90,000 – 110,000	120,000 – 150,000	150,000	[150][151][152][153][154][155][156][157][158][182][215][318][319][320][321][322][323][166][170]
Ravenna				50,000	50,000														[184]
Rhodes	40,000																		[167]
Rouen								10,000			30,000		40,000	70,000	40,000 – 70,000	40,000 – 70,000	63,000	80,000 – 90,000	[191][265][269][270][317][324][325]
Saint Petersburg																	100,000+	220,000 – 425,000	[192][326]
Salerno										50,000	50,000	30,000			4,000				[205][304]
Smolensk												20,000 – 30,000 – 40,000		25,000	50,000	64,000	40,000		[327][328]
Sarai													100,00 – 600,000						[329]
Speyer											30,000+	30,000	20,000						[198]
Seville										90,000		150,000			25,000	100,000 – 300,000	80,000	96,000	[330][190][191][200]
Siena													50,000 – 120,000[331]	25,000					[332]
Stara Zagora	35,000									30,000		40,000			38,000				[198]
Syracuse, Sicily	80,000 – 90,000																		[189][163]
Thessaloniki	30,000 – 200,000								50,000	40,000	150,000	150,000	100,000 – 150,000	100,000 – 150,000					[252][333][334][335][336][337][166][167]
Trakai														50,000					[198]
Trnovo												48,000	35,000						[198]
Targoviste														25,000 – 40,000	50,000 – 60,000	45,000 – 60,000			[198]
Trier		70,000 – 80,000 – 100,000	70,000 – 80,000 – 100,000					15,000		20,000									[205][269][338][339][340][184]
Toulouse	20,000	40,000	50,000									30,000	40,000	24,000	50,000		43,000	50,000	[341][271][265][342][343][344][345]
Venice										60,000		80,000	110,000 – 180,000	110,000 – 150,000	100,000 – 170,000	200,000	140,000	140,000	[236][274][238][239][346]
Verona												20,000 – 25,000	40,000						[347][348]
Veliky Novgorod										10,000 – 15,000 – 18,000		20,000 – 30,000 – 40,000	50,000 – 60,000 – 400,000	50,000					[349][350][351][352]
Vienna	15,000 – 20,000	15,000 – 20,000										12,000	20,000	24,000	45,000	30,000 – 50,000 – 60,000	100,000 – 113,000	250,000	[171][177][231][191][296][208][353][354]
Worms												28,000 – 60,000	20,000						[198]
Ypres												40,000 – 80,000 – 200,000	40,000 – 80,000 – 200,000						[205][201][355][356][357][358][359][360]
Zadar	30,000																		[361]

Data from Hohenberg and Lees (1985)

1400 City Population Paris 275,000 Bruges 125,000 Milan 125,000 Venice 110,000 Genoa 100,000 Granada 100,000 Prague 95,000 Ghent 70,000 Rouen 70,000 Seville 70,000

1700 City Population Istanbul 700,000 London 550,000 Paris 500,000 Naples 215,000 Lisbon 188,000 Amsterdam 180,000 Moscow 150,000 Venice 138,000 Rome 130,000 Milan 120,000 Belgrade 100,000 Lyon 100,000 Madrid 100,000 Vienna 100,000 Marseille 100,000 Sarajevo 100,000 Gdańsk 100,000

1800 City Population London 1,000,000 Paris 600,000 Naples 426,000 Moscow 250,000 Vienna 240,000 St. Petersburg 220,000 Amsterdam 220,000 Dublin 200,000 Lisbon 180,000 Berlin 172,000 Warsaw 120,000

Data from Chandler (1987)

City	Country	430 B.C.	200 B.C.	A.D. 100	A.D. 361	A.D. 500	A.D. 622
Seville	Spain			37–40,000			40,000
London	United Kingdom			30,000
Syracuse	Italy	125,000	100,000	51–60,000	45–50,000
Rome	Italy	35,000	150,000	450,000	150,000	100,000	50,000
Milan	Italy			30,000	40,000
Athens	Greece	155,000	75,000	75,000	50–60,000
Corinth	Greece	70,000	70,000	50,000
Istanbul/ Constantinople	Turkey			36,000	300,000	400,000	350,000

City	Country	800	900	1000	1100	1150	1200	1250	1300	1350	1400	1450	1500	1550	1575	1600	1650
London	United Kingdom			15,000	25,000		40,000		45,000		50,000	60,000	50,000	74,000	112,000	187,000	410,000
Lisbon	Portugal	15,000		15,000			15,000		35,000	45,000	55,000	60,000	55,000	62,000	85,000	100,000	170,000
Córdoba	Spain	160,000	200,000	450,000	60,000	60,000	60,000		40,000		36,000		30,000			32,000
Seville	Spain	35,000	40,000	90,000	125,000	125,000	150,000	75,000	90,000	60,000	60,000	60,000	46,000	70,000	100,000	126,000	60,000
Granada	Spain				60,000	60,000	60,000	75,000	90,000	60,000	90,000	165,000	70,000	70,000	60,000	68,000
Madrid	Spain															80,000	125,000
Paris	France	25,000		20,000	30,000	50,000	110,000	160,000	228,000	215,000	280,000	150,000	185,000	210,000	220,000	245,000	455,000
Amsterdam	Netherlands															48,000	165,000
Rome	Italy	50,000	40,000	35,000	35,000		35,000		30,000		33,000		38,000	58,000	70,000	102,000	110,000
Turin	Italy		25,000	30,000	30,000		35,000		40,000	40,000	40,000	75,000	114,000	209,000	215,000	224,000	265,000
Milan	Italy	25,000	20,000	30,000	42,000	45,000	60,000	65,000	60,000	50,000	80,000	83,000	89,000	75,000	98,000	107,000	105,000
Palermo	Italy		35,000	75,000	90,000	125,000	150,000	75,000	35,000		25,000		39,000	60,000	70,000	105,000	132,000
Venice	Italy		35,000	45,000	55,000	60,000	70,000	90,000	110,000	85,000	110,000	100,000	115,000	171,000	157,000	151,000	134,000
Copenhagen	Denmark			15,000			22,000		30,000	40,000	55,000	76,000	80,000	84,000	90,000	110,000
Prague	Czech Republic								25,000		35,000		35,000			33,000
Constantinople/ Istanbul	Turkey	250,000	300,000	300,000	200,000	200,000	150,000	100,000	100,000	80,000	75,000	45,000	200,000	660,000	680,000	700,000	700,000
Smolensk	Russia							80,000	100,000	120,000
Moscow	Russia										30,000		80,000	75,000	60,000	80,000	100,000

City	Country	1675	1700	1750	1775	1800	1825	1850	1862	1875	1900	1914	1925	1936	1950	1975
London	United Kingdom	485,000	550,000	676,000	710,000	861,000	1,335,000	2,320,000	2,803,000	4,241,000	6,480,000	7,419,000	7,742,000	9,710,000	8,860,000	10,500,000
Lisbon	Portugal	178,000	188,000	213,000	219,000	237,000	258,000	262,000	280,000	243,000	363,000	455,000	567,000		875,000	1,600,000
Córdoba	Spain		27,000			28,000		34,000			52,000
Seville	Spain		80,000	68,000		96,000	83,000	117,000			148,000		212,000		383,000	685,000
Granada	Spain		35,000	45,000		53,000		58,000			75,000
Madrid	Spain	115,000	105,000	110,000	132,000	182,000	201,000	216,000	303,000	373,000	539,000	623,000	791,000	1,220,000	1,527,000	4,150,000
Paris	France	540,000	530,000	556,000	600,000	547,000	855,000	1,314,000	1,800,000	2,250,000	3,330,000	4,000,000	4,800,000	5,950,000	5,900,000	9,400,000
Amsterdam	Netherlands	195,000	210,000	219,000	209,000	195,000	196,000	225,000	268,000	289,000	510,000	601,000	718,000		859,000	1,800,000
Rome	Italy	105,000	138,000	146,000	148,000	142,000	125,000	158,000	194,000	251,000	438,000	570,000	758,000	1,155,000	1,665,000	3,600,000
Naples	Italy	170,000	207,000	310,000	355,000	430,000	350,000	413,000	447,000	450,000	563,000	691,000	852,000		1,210,000	1,900,000
Milan	Italy	114,000	113,000	110,000	117,000	122,000	156,000	182,000	226,000	267,000	491,000	655,000	917,000	1,103,000	1,400,000	3,800,000
Palermo	Italy	128,000	125,000	111,000	127,000	135,000	154,000	170,000	175,000	188,000	255,000		370,000		470,000	672,000
Venice	Italy	138,000	143,000	158,000	151,000	146,000	99,000	141,000			171,000		226,000		354,000
Berlin	Germany		26,000	113,000	136,000	172,000	222,000	446,000	582,000	1,045,000	2,707,000	3,500,000	4,013,000	4,226,000	3,707,000	2,000,000
Budapest	Hungary	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	309,208	733,385	880,371	960,995	1,060,431	1,629,000	2,026,543
Prague	Czech Republic		48,000	58,000		77,000	98,000	117,000			474,000	670,000	745,000		951,000	1,275,000
Copenhagen	Denmark							30,000			181,000		571,000		1,140,000	3,300,000
Istanbul	Turkey	750,000	700,000	625,000	600,000	570,000	675,000	785,000	820,000	873,000	900,000	1,125,000	817,000		1,035,000	3,200,000
Edirne	Turkey	100,000	85,000	82,000		80,000	88,000	85,000
Moscow	Russia	105,000	114,000	146,000	177,000	248,000	257,000	373,000	346,000	600,000	1,120,000	1,805,000	1,764,000	4,050,000	5,100,000	10,700,000
Saint Petersburg	Russia			74,000	164,000	220,000	438,000	502,000	565,000	764,000	1,439,000	2,133,000	1,430,000	2,983,000	2,700,000	4,280,000

See also

• Historical urban community sizes
• Largest cities in Europe
• List of cities in Europe
• List of largest cities throughout history
• List of metropolitan areas in Europe
• List of oldest continuously inhabited cities