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Many modern European countries have changed their capital cities throughout history for various political, cultural, and strategic reasons. The map below created by Reddit user pavelzuk shows European cities that have lost their capital status and the number of years they were capitals.
According to the map, Germany and Italy have experienced the most frequent changes in the capital status of their cities.
Germany has a history of changing capital cities, primarily due to the country’s long process of unification and division. Cities like Aachen, Frankfurt, and Berlin have served as capitals at various points in German history. The frequent changes were a result of shifting political power and the evolving nature of the German states until the modern unified Germany was established in the late 19th century.
Italy’s capital city has also changed over time. Rome has been the capital of Italy since its unification in the 19th century. However, before that, Italy consisted of various city-states and regions, each with its own capital. These included cities like Florence, Venice, Naples, and Milan, among others. The choice of capital was often influenced by the dominant power in each region.
Want to learn more about history of Europe? Then have a look at:
