List of former national capitals
Throughout the world there are many cities that were once national capitals but no longer have that status because the country ceased to exist, the capital was moved, or the capital city was renamed. This is a list of such cities, sorted by country and then by date.
 | This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. |
Africa
| Old capital city | Country, empire | From | Until | Change, reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ribeira Grande (now Cidade Velha) | Cape Verde | 1462? | 1770 | moved to Praia |
| Grand Bassam | Côte d'Ivoire | 1893 | 1900 | moved to Bingerville |
| Bingerville | Côte d'Ivoire | 1900 | 1933 | moved to Abidjan |
| Abidjan | Côte d'Ivoire | 1933 | 1983 | moved to Yamoussoukro |
| Al-Fustat | Egypt | 641 | 750 | Moved to Al-Askar |
| Al-Fustat | Egypt | 905 | 969 | Moved to Cairo |
| Otjimbingwe | German South-West Africa | 1886 | 1892 | moved to Windhoek |
| Cape Coast | Ghana (Gold Coast) | 1664 | 1877 | moved to Accra |
| Bolama | Guinea-Bissau | 1879 | 1941 | moved to Bissau |
| Boe | Guinea-Bissau | 1973 | 1974 | moved back to Bissau |
| Njimi | Kanem | fl. 11th Century | c.1396 | lost to Bulala invaders (eventually moved to Ngazargamu) |
| Ngazargamu | Kanem-Bornu Empire | c.1472 | 1808 | lost to Fulani invaders (eventually moved to Kukawa) |
| Kukawa | Kanem-Bornu Empire | 1814 | 1893 | Kingdom ceased to exist |
| Lagos | Nigeria | 1914 | 1976 | moved to Abuja |
| Igbo Ukwu | Kingdom of Nri | 1043 | 1911 | Nigeria |
| Aneho | Togo | 1880s | 1897 | moved to Lomé |
| Zomba | Malawi | 1880s | 1975 | moved to Lilongwe |
| Dar es Salaam | Tanzania | 1961 | 1996 | moved to Dodoma |
| Axum | Ethiopia | 50 A.D. | ? | moved to Addis Ababa |
See also List of Egyptian capitals.
Asia
Central and South-West Asia
| Old capital city | Country, empire | From | Until | Change, reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kandahar | Afghanistan | 1748 | 1772 | moved to Kabul |
| Ashur | Assyria | 3rd Millennium BC | 800s BC | moved to Calah |
| Calah | Assyria | 13th Century BC | 710 BC | Moved to Nineveh |
| Nineveh | Assyria | 1800 BC | 600 BC | Destroyed by Babylonians |
| Babylon | Babylonia | 24th Century BC | 141 BC | Conquered by Assyrians, Persians, Parthians, Alexander the Great, later abandoned completely |
| Susa, Anshan | Iran (Proto-Elamite, Elam) | 3200 BC | 850 BC | Conquered by Mannaeans |
| Zirta (Izirtu) | Iran (Mannaeans) | 850 BC | 728 BC | Conquered by Median Empire |
| Ecbatana | Iran (Median Empire) | 728 BC | 550 BC | captured by Cyrus the Great |
| Pasargadae | Iran (Persian Empire) | 559 BC | 538 BC | Capital moved to Susa by Cambyses II |
| Susa | Iran (Persian Empire) | 538 BC | 515 BC | Capital moved to Persepolis by Darius |
| Persepolis | Iran (Persian Empire) | 515 BC | 331 BC | captured by Alexander the Great and incorporated into Macedonian Empire |
| Seleucia | Iran (Seleucid Empire) | 305 BC | 240 BC | moved to Antioch |
| Antioch | Iran (Seleucid Empire) | 240 BC | 64 BC | conquered by Parthia |
| Ctesiphon, Hecatompylos, Mithridatkird-Nisa, Asaak | Iran (Parthian Empire) | 240 BC | 224 | conquered by Sassanid Empire |
| Firouzabad, Ctesiphon, Damghan | Iran (Sassanid Empire) | 224 | 637 | fell in Islamic conquest of Persia |
| Nishapur | Iran (Tahirid dynasty) | 821 | 873 | conquered by Saffarid dynasty |
| Zaranj, Amol | Iran (Saffarid dynasty, Alavids) | 861 | 900 | conquered by Samanid |
| Bukhara, Balkh, Samarkand, Herat | Iran (Samanid dynasty) | 875 | 999 | conquered by Ghaznavids |
| Ghazni | Iran (Ghaznavids, Ghurids) | 963 | 1212 | conquered by Seljuq dynasty |
| Nishapur, Rey, Konye-Urgench | Iran (Seljuq dynasty, Khwarezmid dynasty) | 1037 | 1231 | conquered by Ilkhanate |
| Maragheh, Soltaniyeh, Tabriz, Samarkand, Herat | Iran (Ilkhanate, Timurid dynasty) | 1231 | 1506 | conquered by Safavid Dynasty |
| Tabriz | Iran (Safavid Dynasty) | 1501 | 1548 | moved to Qazvin |
| Qazvin | Iran (Safavid Dynasty) | 1548 | 1598 | moved to Isfahan |
| Isfahan | Iran (Safavid Dynasty) | 1598 | 1736 | moved to Mashhad |
| Mashhad | Iran (Afsharid dynasty) | 1736 | 1750 | moved to Shiraz |
| Shiraz | Iran (Zand dynasty) | 1750 | 1794 | moved to Tehran in the Qajar dynasty |
| Hebron | Israel, Kingdom of | c.1007 BC | c.1000 BC | moved to Jerusalem when the kingdom was reunited under King David |
| Tel Aviv | Israel, State of | May 1948 | Dec 1948 | interim de facto capital, moved to Jerusalem after captured from Jordanian forces in 1948 Arab-Israeli War |
| Jerusalem | Jerusalem, Kingdom of | 1099 | 1187 | moved to Acre (Jerusalem captured by Saladin) |
| Acre | Jerusalem, Kingdom of | 1187 | 1291 | Kingdom ceased to exist |
| Semey | Kazakhstan (Alash Orda) | 1917 | 1920 | Entity named Kyrgyz ASSR established, capital moved to Orenburg |
| Orenburg | Kazakhstan (Kyrgyz ASSR) | 1920 | 1925 | moved to Qyzylorda |
| Qyzylorda | Kazakhstan (Kazakh ASSR) | 1926 | 1929 | moved to Alma-Ata |
| Alma-Ata | Kazakhstan (Kazakh ASSR, Kazakh SSR, independent Kazakhstan) | 1929 | 1993 | renamed Almaty |
| Almaty | Kazakhstan | 1993 | 1998 | moved to Astana |
| Salalah | Oman | 1932 | 1970 | moved to Musqat |
| Diriyah | Saudi Arabia | 1744 | 1818 | moved to Riyadh after the Turks destroyed the city. |
| Aden | South Yemen | 1967 | 1990 | San'a, country ceased to exist after unification of Yemen |
| Samarkand | Uzbekistan (SSR) | 1925 | 1930 | moved to Tashkent |
| Taiz | Yemen | 1948 | 1962 | moved to San'a |
South and South-East Asia
| Old capital city | Country, empire | From | Until | Change, reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calcutta | India (British) | 1772 | 1912 | moved to New Delhi |
| Simla | India (British) | fl. 1850 | 1947 | Summer capital |
| Yogyakarta | Indonesia | 1946 | 1948 | Allied invasion, moved to Bukittinggi |
| Bukittinggi | Indonesia | 1948 | 1949 | moved to Jakarta |
| Marawi | Maguindanao Sultanate | ~1205 | 1800s (?) | Annexed into the Spanish East Indies |
| Yangon | Myanmar | 1948 | 2005 | moved to Naypyidaw |
| Bacolod | Negros, Cantonal Republic of | 1898 | 1899 | absorbed by the Philippines. |
| Karachi | Pakistan | 1947 | 1959 | moved to Rawalpindi |
| Rawalpindi | Pakistan | 1959 | 1967 | moved to Islamabad |
| Malolos | Philippine Republic (República Filipina) | 1898 | 1899 | Headquarters of the Revolutionary movement (Note: Several other towns became capitals at a succeeding rate, namely San Isidro, Cabanatuan, Bamban, Tarlac, Bayambang and Palanan, to avoid capture from the Americans). Moved back to Manila after capture of Aguinaldo on 1901. |
| Manila | Philippine Republic, Japanese-sponsored | 1943 | 1945 | Liberation of the Philippines from the Japanese |
| Manila | Philippines, Commonwealth of the | 1934 | 1941 | Japanese occupation. Moved back to Manila in 1945 after the liberation of the Philippines |
| Baguio | Philippines | 1946 | 1976 | Summer Capital, moved back to Manila via Presidential Decree No. 940. |
| Quezon City | Philippines | 1948 | 1976 | Moved back to Manila via Presidential Decree No. 940. Quezon City, with Manila, became parts of Metro Manila. Several government offices remained in Quezon City, including the Batasang Pambansa, and ultimately the House of Representatives. Manila is the current capital. |
| Cebu | Spanish East Indies | 1562 | 1578 (?) | First Spanish settlement in the country. Moved to Manila (Formerly Maynilad) after capture. |
| Manila | Spanish East Indies | ~1578 | 1762 | Captured by the British during the Seven Years' War, returned to Spain after the Treaty of Paris. |
| Bacolor | Spanish East Indies | 1762 | 1764 | Capital of the exiled government Governor-general Simon de Anda during the Seven Years' War. Moved back to Manila |
| Manila | Spanish East Indies | 1764 | 1901 | Ceded to the United States via Treaty of Paris |
| Anuradapura | Lanka (Sri Lanka) | ~382 BC | 1018 | Capital moved to possibly Polonnaruwa |
| Polonnaruwa | Sri Lanka | ~1055 | 1284 | Capital moved to Dambadeniya |
| Kotte | Sri Lanka | ~1415 | ~1565 | Capital moved to Kandy |
| Kandy | Sri Lanka | 1592 | 1815 | Capital moved to Colombo |
| Colombo | Sri Lanka | 1815 | 1982 | Capital moved to Kotte |
| Jolo | Sulu Sultanate | 1450 (?) | 1899 | Annexed by the United States |
| Sukhothai | Thailand (Kingdom of Siam) | 1238 | 1438 | moved to Ayutthaya after sacked by Ayutthaya |
| Chiang Mai (Lanna) | Thailand (Kingdom of Siam) | 1259 | 1939 | Annexed by Siam |
| Ayutthaya | Thailand (Kingdom of Siam) | 1350 | 1767 | moved to Thonburi after the Burmese destroyed the city |
| Thonburi | Thailand (Kingdom of Siam) | 1767 | 1782 | moved to Bangkok after King Taksin was declared mad |
| Luang Prabang | Lan Prabang | 1707 | Luang Prabang was one of three successors states to Lan Xang. | |
| Luang Prabang | Laos, Kingdom of | 1949 | 1975 | abdication of King Savang Vatthana; the second capital |
| Vientiane | Lan Xang | 1354 | TBA | moved to Luang Prabang |
| Vientiane | Vientiane Lao | 1707 (?) | 1828 | incorporated to Siam, then absorbed into French Indochina (in 1893) |
| Vientiane | Kingdom of Laos | 1949 | 1975 | abdication of King Savang Vatthana |
| ? | Champasak Kingdom | 1713 | 1946 | Became part of Kingdom of Laos. |
| Angkor | Khmer Empire | 802 | 1431 | Sacked by Ayutthaya |
| Lovek | Lovek Kingdom | 1525 | 1593 | Move to Oudong (in 1618) |
| Phnom Penh | Colonial Cambodia | 1863 | 1887 | annexed by France; moved to Saigon |
| Phong Châu | Văn Lang (Hồng Bàng Dynasty) | 2879 BC | 258 BC | annexed by Thục Dynasty |
| Phong Châu | Vạn Xuân (Hậu Lý Nam Đế) | 571 | 602 | Third Chinese domination |
| Cổ Loa | Âu Lạc (Thục Dynasty) | 257 BC | 207 BC | First Chinese domination |
| Cổ Loa | (Ngô Dynasty) | 938 | 967 | the upheavals of Twelve warlords |
| Mê Linh | (Trưng Sisters) | 40 | 43 | Second Chinese domination |
| Long Biên | Vạn Xuân (Anterior Lý dynasty and Triệu Việt Vương) | 544 | 571 | moved to Phong Châu |
| Hoa Lư | Đại Cồ Việt (Đinh Dynasty) | 968 | 980 | |
| Hoa Lư | Đại Cồ Việt (Early Lê Dynasty) | 980 | 1009 | moved to Đại La, then renamed into Thăng Long |
| Tây Đô | Đại Ngu (Hồ Dynasty) | 1400 | 1407 | Fourth Chinese domination; it was the first capital of Hồ Dynasty |
| Tây Đô | Đại Việt-Nam Triều (Restored Lê Dynasty) | 1533 | 1592 | moved to Thăng Long after defeating Mạc Dynasty |
| Phú Xuân (Huế) | Đại Việt-Đàng Trong (Nguyễn Lords) | 1558 | 1777 | Tây Sơn Dynasty unified Đại Việt |
| Phú Xuân (Huế) | Đại Việt (Tây Sơn Dynasty) | 1788 | 1802 | |
| Phú Xuân (Huế) | Vietnam (Nguyễn Dynasty) | 1802 | 1945 | moved to Hanoi after the abdication of Emperor Bảo Đại |
| Phú Xuân (Huế) | Empire of Vietnam | 1945 | August Revolution | |
| Hue | An Nam | 1874 | 1955 | annexed by France, Geneva Conference (1954) led to the Partition of Vietnam |
| Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) | French Indochina | 1887 | 1901 | moved to Hanoi |
| Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) | State of Vietnam | 1949 | 1955 | Geneva Conference (1954) led to the Partition of Vietnam; Saigon was renamed Ho Chi Minh City in 1976. |
| Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) | Vietnam, South | 1954 | 1975 | Hanoi, country ceased to exist after unification of Vietnam |
| Thăng Long (Hanoi) | Đại Việt (Lý & Trần Dynasties) | 1010 | 1400 | Trần Dynasty renovated Thăng Long and renamed to Long Phượng |
| Thăng Long (Hanoi) | Đại Ngu (Hồ Dynasty) | 1400 | 1407 | Fourth Chinese domination; renamed Thăng Long to Đông Đô, the second capital |
| Thăng Long (Hanoi) | Đại Việt (Later Lê Dynasty) | 1428 | 1527 | Southern and Northern Dynasties of Vietnam |
| Thăng Long (Hanoi) | Đại Việt-Bắc Triều (Mạc Dynasty) | 1533 | 1592 | defeated by Trịnh Lords; renamed again to Đông Đô |
| Thăng Long (Hanoi) | Đại Việt-Đàng Ngoài (Later Lê Dynasty - Trịnh Lords) | 1593 | 1788 | Thăng Long was destroyed by Qing Dynasty and Tây Sơn Dynasty unified Đại Việt, then moved to Phú Xuân; renamed to Bắc Thành; renamed to Hanoi in 1831. |
| Hanoi | French Indochina | 1902 | 1953 | Geneva Conference (1954) led to the Partition of Vietnam; in 1831, Emperor Minh Mạng renamed Thăng Long to Hanoi (Hà Nội) |
| Hanoi | Vietnam, North | 1954 | 1976 | unification of Vietnam |
East Asia
| Old capital city | Country, empire | From | Until | Change, reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anyang | China (Shang Dynasty) | c. 1600 BC | c. 1046 BC | moved to Chang'an - end of Shang Dynasty |
| Chang'an | China (Zhou Dynasty) | c. 1046 BC | 722 BC | moved to Luoyang |
| Luoyang | China (Zhou Dynasty) | 772 BC | 221 BC | moved to Xianyang - fall of Zhou Dynasty |
| Xianyang | China (Qin Dynasty) | 221 BC | 206 BC | moved back to Chang'an - fall of Qin Dynasty |
| Chang'an | China (Han Dynasty) | 206 BC | 25 | moved back to Luoyang |
| Luoyang | China (Han Dynasty) | 25 | 220 | fall of the Han Dynasty marking the beginning of the Six Dynasties period |
| Chang'an | China (Sui Dynasty and Tang Dynasty) | 581 | 907 | fall of the Tang Dynasty marking the beginning of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period |
| Kaifeng | China (Song Dynasty) | 960 | 1127 | moved to Hangzhou |
| Hangzhou | China (Song Dynasty) | 1127 | 1279 | Kublai Khan integrated China into the Mongol Empire |
| Nanjing | China (Ming Dynasty) | 1368 | 1421 | moved to Beijing |
| Nanjing | China, Republic of | 1928 | 1937 | moved to Chongqing |
| Chongqing | China, Republic of | 1937 | 1945 | moved back to Nanjing |
| Nanjing | China, Republic of | 1945 | 1949 | moved to Beijing - After the proclamation of the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China government fled to Taiwan and made Taipei the capital. |
| Hakodate | Ezo, Republic of | 1868 | 1869 | Ezo annexed by Japan |
| Taipei | Formosa, Republic of | 1895 | 1895 | moved to Tainan |
| Tainan | Formosa, Republic of | 1895 | 1895 | Formosa annexed by Japan |
| Heijō-kyō (Nara) | Japan (Nara Period) | 710 | 784 | moved to Nagaoka-kyō (Nagaoka) |
| Nagaoka-kyō (Nagaoka) | Japan (Nara Period) | 784 | 794 | moved to Kyoto |
| Kyoto | Japan | 794 | 1868 | moved to Tokyo (see also: Capital of Japan) |
| Gyeongju | Korea (Silla) | 57BC | 935 | moved to Gaegyeong - fall of Silla |
| Ungjin, Sabi | Korea (Baekje) | 476 | 660 | fall of Baekje |
| Gaegyeong | Korea (Goryeo) | 936 | 1392 | moved to Hanyang (Seoul) - fall of Goryeo Dynasty |
| Shuri | Ryūkyū | 1429 | 1879 | Annexed by Japan |
| Tainan | Tungning, Kingdom of | 1662 | 1683 | Fall of the Kingdom of Tungning |
Europe
Northern Europe
| Old capital city | Country, empire | From | Until | Change, reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roskilde | Denmark | c.1020 | 1443 | moved to Copenhagen |
| Winchester | Kingdom of Wessex | 519 | 1066 | moved to London (Kingdoms joined to become England) |
| Turku | Finland, Grand Duchy of | 1809 | 1812 | moved to Helsinki |
| Hill of Tara | Ireland (under the High Kings) | 6th century | 12th century | Ireland invaded by Normans |
| Kilkenny | Ireland, Confederate | 1642 | 1651 | Cromwellian conquest of Ireland |
| Castletown | Man, Isle of | 1090 | 1874 | moved to Douglas |
| Nidaros (Trondheim) | Norway | 997 | 1070 | moved to Bergen |
| Bjørgvin (Bergen) | Norway | 1070 | 1299 | moved to Oslo |
| Christiania (Oslo) | Norway | 1624 | 1924 | (also written Kristiania from ca. 1877), renamed Oslo |
| Scone, near Perth | Scotland | 846 | 1452 | moved to Edinburgh |
| Sigtuna | Sweden | 1010 | 1187 | moved to Stockholm |
| Machynlleth | Wales | 1404 | 1416 | seat of Owain Glyndŵr's self-proclaimed parliament. Capital declared to be Cardiff in 1955 |
Southern Europe
| Old capital city | Country, empire | From | Until | Change, reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vlorë | Albania | 1912 | 1920 | moved briefly to Durres and finally Tirana. |
| Pliska | Bulgaria (First Bulgarian Empire) | 681 | 893 | moved to Preslav |
| Preslav | Bulgaria (First Bulgarian Empire) | 893 | 972 | moved to Skopie |
| Skopie | Bulgaria (First Bulgarian Empire) | 972 | 992 | moved to Ohrid |
| Ohrid | Bulgaria (First Bulgarian Empire) | 992 | 1018 | Empire ceased to exist after Byzantine conquest |
| Veliko Tarnovo | Bulgaria (Second Bulgarian Empire) | 1185 | 1396 | Empire ceased to exist after the Ottoman conquest |
| Plovdiv | Eastern Rumelia | 1878 | 1885 | annexed as part of the Unification of Bulgaria |
| Constantinople | Byzantine Empire | 330 | 661 | Emperor Constans II relocated his capital to Syracuse in Sicily. |
| Syracuse | Byzantine Empire | 661 | 668 | Constans II was assassinated and the seat of Byzantine government was returned to Constantinople. |
| Constantinople | Byzantine Empire | 668 | 1204 | The Fourth Crusade set out to replace the Greek Orthodox Byzantine Empire with a Latin version and there were several Byzantine successor states, the most memorable of which being the Empire of Nicaea. |
| Nicaea | Byzantine Empire | 1204 | 1261 | When the Empire of Nicaea recaptured Constantinople, they relocated the capital there as well |
| Constantinople | Byzantine Empire | 1261 | 1453 | Byzantine Empire conquered by the Ottoman Empire. |
| Burgos | Castile | 11th century | 15th century | moved to Valladolid |
| Corte | Corsica | 1755 | 1769 | Corsican Republic annexed by France |
| Corte | Anglo-Corsican Kingdom | 1794 | 1795 | moved to Bastia |
| Bastia | Anglo-Corsican Kingdom | 1795 | 1796 | Corsican Kingdom annexed by France |
| Santiago | Couto Mixto | 12th century | 1864 | Couto Mixto annexed by Spain |
| Chania | Crete | 1898 | 1913 | Cretan State united with Greece |
| Fiume/Rijeka | Fiume, Free State of | 1920 | 1924 | annexed by Kingdom of Italy |
| Genoa | Genoa, Republic of | 11th century | 1805 | annexed by France |
| Granada | Granada, Kingdom of | 1250 | 1492 | Kingdom ceased to exist after the Reconquista and incorporated into Castile |
| Nafplion | Greece | 1821 | 1836 | moved to Athens |
| Aegina | Greece | 1827 | 1829 | moved back to Nafplion |
| Turin | Italy | 1861 | 1865 | moved to Florence |
| Florence | Italy | 1865 | 1871 | moved to Rome |
| Salerno | Italy | 1944 | 1944 | temporarily; moved to Rome after the latter's liberation |
| Mdina | Malta | 1566 | moved to Valletta | |
| Modena | Modena, Duchy of | 1452 | 1860 | became part of united Italy |
| Cetinje | Montenegro | 1482 | 1946 | moved to Podgorica |
| Naples | Naples, Kingdom of | 1282 | 1816 | Kingdom of Naples merged into the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies |
| Bursa | Ottoman empire | 1335 | 1365 | moved to Edirne |
| Edirne | Ottoman empire | 1365 | 1453 | moved to Istanbul (Constantinople) |
| Istanbul | Ottoman empire | 1453 | 1923 | The Ottoman Empire became the Republic of Turkey. The capital moved to Ankara |
| Piacenza | Piacenza and Parma, Duchy of | 1545 | 1547 | moved to Parma, following the assassination of the Duke Pierluigi Farnese |
| Parma | Parma and Piacenza, Duchy of | 1547 | 1860 | Became part of united Italy. |
| Guimarães | Portugal | 1095 | 1131 | moved to Coimbra |
| Coimbra | Portugal | 1131 | 1255 | moved to Lisbon |
| Turin | Sardinia, Kingdom of | 1720 | 1861 | Became part of unified Italy |
| Turin | Savoy, Duchy of | 1563 | 1720 | Became part of Kingdom of Sardinia. |
| Ras | Serbia | 950 | 1200 | capital of Serbian midieval state Raska moved to Debrc |
| Debrc | Serbia | 1276 | 1289 | moved to Belgrade |
| Prizren | Serbia | 1300 | 1345 | moved to Skoplje |
| Skoplje | Serbia | 1345 | 1371 | capital of Serbian Empire, now capital of Macedonia |
| Smederevo | Serbia | 1430 | 1453 | capital of Serbian Despotate |
| Subotica | Serbia | 1526 | 1527 | capital of Serbia, moved to Kragujevac |
| Kragujevac | Serbia | 1818 | 1841 | moved to Belgrade |
| Palermo | Sicily | 1130 | 1816 | Kingdom merged into the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies |
| Toledo | Spain | 15th Century | 1561 | moved to Madrid |
| Valladolid | Spain | 1600 | 1606 | moved to Madrid |
| Valencia | Spain | 1936 | 1939 | Government of the Second Spanish Republic in the Spanish Civil War |
| Trieste | Trieste, Free Territory of | 1947 | 1954 | Territory dissolved, integrated into Italy and Yugoslavia |
| Florence | Tuscany | 1569 | 1860 | became part of unified Italy |
| Naples | Two Sicilies, Kingdom of the | 1816 | 1861 | became part of unified Italy |
| Belgrade | Yugoslavia | 1918 | 2003 | State union dissolved, became capital of Serbia |
| Venice | Venice, Republic of | fl. 9th century | 1797 | annexed by Austria |
Western Europe
| Old capital city | Country, empire | From | Until | Change, reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aachen | Holy Roman Empire Carolingian Empire | 800 | 814 | became capital of Charlemagne as Imperator Augustus of the Holy Roman Empire and the Emperior of the Carolingian Empire |
| Vienna | Holy Roman Empire | 1558 | 1806 | became capital in Austrian Empire |
| Vienna | Austrian Empire | 1806 | 1867 | became capital in Austro-Hungarian Empire |
| Vienna | Austro-Hungarian Empire | 1867 | 1918 | became capital in Republic of Austria |
| Karlsruhe | Baden | 1771 | 1918 | Baden became part of the German Empire in 1871, and lost sovereignty fully in 1918. Karlsruhe remained the capital of the German state of Baden until 1945. |
| Munich | Bavaria | 14th century | 1918 | Bavaria became part of the German Empire in 1871, and lost sovereignty fully in 1918. Munich remains the capital of the German state of Bavaria. |
| Brunswick | Brunswick | 1815 | 1946 | Brunswick merged into Niedersachsen |
| Frankfurt | Confederation of the Rhine | 1806 | 1815 | dissolved in 1815 |
| Vichy | France | 1940 | 1944 | capital of Vichy France régime |
| Frankfurt | German Confederation | 1815 | 1866 | German Confederation was dissolved in 1866 |
| Berlin | German Empire | 1871 | 1945 | Separation of Germany to occupation zones for the Allied powers |
| Bonn | Germany, West | 1949 | 1990 | moved to Berlin after re-unification of Germany |
| East Berlin | Germany, East | 1949 | 1990 | Berlin, country ceased to exist after re-unification of Germany |
| Hanover | Hanover | 1814 | 1866 | Hanover annexed by Prussia |
| Wiesbaden | Nassau | 1816 | 1866 | Nassau annexed by Prussia |
| Kelmis | Neutral Moresnet | 1816 | 1919 | Moresnet annexed by Belgium |
| Oldenburg | Oldenburg | 1180 | 1946 | Oldenburg merged into Niedersachsen |
| Heidelberg | Palatinate | 14th century | 1720 | moved to Mannheim |
| Mannheim | Palatinate | 1720 | 1777 | Palatinate inherited by the Electors of Bavaria. |
| Dresden | Saxony | 1485 | 1952 | Saxony became part of the German Empire in 1871, and Saxony lost its statehood in 1952. Dresden became again the capital of the German state of Saxony in 1990. |
| Bückeburg | Schaumburg-Lippe | 1643 | 1946 | Schaumburg-Lippe merged into Niedersachsen |
| Aarau | Switzerland (Helvetic Republic) | 1798 | 1798 | moved to Lucerne |
| Lucerne | Switzerland (Helvetic Republic) | 1798 | 1803 | Helvetic Republic abolished |
| Kassel | Westphalia | 1807 | 1813 | dissolved in 1813 |
| Stuttgart | Württemberg | ca. 1300 | 1918 | Württemberg became part of the German Empire in 1871, and lost sovereignty fully in 1918. Stuttgart remained the capital of the German state of Württemberg until 1947, and then became capital of the German state of Baden-Württemberg |
Eastern Europe
| Old capital city | Country, empire | From | Until | Change, reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mtskheta | Georgia | 3 century BC | 5 century AD | moved to Tbilisi |
| Kutaisi | Georgia | 978 | 1122 | move back to Tbilisi |
| Kaunas | Lithuania (details) | 1922 | 1940 | moved back to Vilnius |
| Suceava | Moldavia | c. 1380 | 1564 | moved to Iaşi |
| Iaşi | Moldavia | 1565 | 1862 | unified with Wallachia to form Romania |
| Vladimir | Russia (Vladimir-Suzdal) | 1169 | 1327 | moved to Moscow |
| Bolgar | Volga Bulgaria | 8 century | 1240s | Volga Bulgaria lost sovereignty |
| Kazan | Kazan_Khanate | 1438 | 1552 | Kazan Khanate lost sovereignty |
| Moscow | Russia (Muscovite) | 1327 | 1712 | moved to Saint Petersburg |
| Yaroslavl | Russia (Muscovite) | 1611 | 1612 | de facto |
| Cherkassk | Russia (Cossack Hetmanate) | 1640 | 1805 | moved to Novocherkassk |
| Novocherkassk | Russia (Cossack Hetmanate) | 1805 | January 7, 1920 | Don Cossacks lost sovereignty |
| Saint Petersburg (Petrograd) | Russian Empire | 1712 | 1918 | moved to Moscow |
| Moscow | Soviet Union | 1922 | 1991 | State union dissolved, Became capital of Russia |
| Kiev | Ukraine (Kievan Rus) | 882 | 1169 | moved to Halych |
| Chyhyryn | Ukraine (Cossack Hetmanate) | 1648 | 1669 | moved to Baturyn |
| Baturyn | Ukraine (Cossack Hetmanate) | 1669 | 1708 | moved to Hlukhiv after demolition of the city by Russian forces |
| Hlukhiv | Ukraine (Cossack Hetmanate) | 1708 | 1722 | Cossack Hetmanate lost its sovereignty |
| Hlukhiv | Ukraine (Cossack Hetmanate) | 1727 | 1734 | Cossack Hetmanate lost its sovereignty |
| Baturyn | Ukraine (Cossack Hetmanate) | 1750 | 1764 | Cossack Hetmanate lost its sovereignty |
| Kiev | Ukraine (UNR) | 1917 | 1920 | Ukrainian People's Republic lost its sovereignty |
| Kharkiv | Ukraine (SSR) | 1919 | 1934 | moved to Kiev |
Central Europe
| Old capital city | Country, empire | From | Until | Change, reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pliska | Bulgaria (First Bulgarian Empire) | 681 | 893 | moved to Preslav |
| Preslav | Bulgaria (First Bulgarian Empire) | 893 | 972 | moved to Ohrid |
| Ohrid | Bulgaria (First Bulgarian Empire) | 990 | 1015 | Empire ceased to exist after Byzantine conquest |
| Veliko Tarnovo | Bulgaria (Second Bulgarian Empire) | 1185 | 1396 | Empire ceases to exist after the Ottoman conquest |
| Plovdiv | Eastern Rumelia | 1878 | 1885 | annexed as part of the Unification of Bulgaria |
| Varaždin | Croatia | 1756 | 1776 | Moved back to Zagreb,when a fire destroyed most of the city. |
| Prague | Czechoslovakia | 1918 | 1993 | became capital in Czech Republic |
| Székesfehérvár and Esztergom | Hungary | 972 (or 973) | 1256 | The capital moved from Esztergom to Buda after most of the city was destroyed by the Mongols in 1242 |
| Buda | Hungary | 1361 | 1536 | moved to Pozsony after part of the nation captured by Ottoman Empire |
| Pressburg (Pozsony) | Hungary, Royal | 1536 | 1784 | The Capital was here because Turks captured Buda, in 1784 it was moved back to Buda |
| Buda | Hungary | 1784 | 1849 | becomes part of Austria, capital in Vienna |
| Buda | Hungary (as part of Austro-Hungarian Empire) | 1867 | 1873 | united with Óbuda and Pest to become Budapest |
| Płock | Masovia | c.1038 | 1047 | Masovia reincorporated into Poland |
| Płock | Masovia | 1138 | 1313 | moved to Czersk |
| Czersk | Masovia | 1313 | 1413 | moved to Warsaw |
| Warsaw | Masovia | 1413 | 1526 | Masovia reincorporated into Poland |
| Cetinje | Montenegro | 1482 | 1946 | moved to Podgorica |
| Gniezno | Poland | 10th century | 1038 | moved to Kraków |
| Poznań | Poland | 10th century | 1038 | moved to Kraków |
| Kraków | Poland | 1038 | 1079 | moved to Płock |
| Płock | Poland | 1079 | 1138 | moved to Kraków |
| Kraków | Poland | 1138 | 1290 | moved to Poznań |
| Poznań | Poland | 1290 | 1296 | moved to Kraków |
| Kraków | Poland | 1296 | 1596 | moved to Warsaw |
| Lublin | Poland | 1944 | 1945 | de facto capital |
| Łódź | Poland | 1945 | 1947 | de facto capital |
| Ras | Serbia | 950 | 1200 | capital of Serbian midieval state Raska moved to Debrc |
| Debrc | Serbia | 1276 | 1289 | moved to Belgrade |
| Prizren | Serbia | 1300 | 1345 | moved to Skoplje |
| Skoplje | Serbia | 1345 | 1371 | capital of Serbian Empire, now capital of Macedonia |
| Smederevo | Serbia | 1430 | 1453 | capital of Serbian Despotate |
| Subotica | Serbia | 1526 | 1527 | capital of Serbia, moved to Kragujevac |
| Kragujevac | Serbia | 1818 | 1841 | moved to Belgrade |
| Câmpulung | Wallachia | fl.13th Century | fl.15th Century | moved to Târgovişte |
| Târgovişte | Wallachia | 1396 | 1698 | moved to Bucharest |
| Belgrade | Yugoslavia | 1918 | 2003 | State union dissolved, became capital of Serbia |
Oceania
| Old capital city | Country, empire | From | Until | Change, reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melbourne* | Australia | 1901 | 1927 | De facto pending construction of Canberra. |
| Levuka | Fiji | 1874 | 1877 | moved to Suva |
| Jabor | Marshall Islands | 1885 | 1944 | moved to Majuro |
| Kolonia | Micronesia, Federated States of | 1914 | 1999 | moved to Palikir |
| Russell | New Zealand | 1840 | 1841 | moved to Auckland |
| Auckland | New Zealand | 1841 | 1865 | moved to Wellington |
| Koror | Palau | 1994 | 2007 | moved to Melekeok |
| Tulaghi | Solomon Islands | 1896 | 1942 | moved to Honiara |
- Note: Melbourne is sometimes said to have been the inaugural capital of Australia, from 1901 until 1927, when Parliament House, Canberra was opened. This is not so. Section 125 of the Constitution of Australia states that the seat of government is to be within the state of New South Wales but not less than 100 miles from Sydney, and that until that place (Canberra) was built, the Parliament of Australia would meet at Melbourne. That made Melbourne the de facto (but not de jure) seat of government 1901-1927, but it did not amount to Melbourne being declared the capital, and it was never so described in contemporary documents.
North America
- For the historical capitals of the United States, the Confederate States of America, the Republic of Texas, the Vermont Republic, the Kingdom and Republic of Hawaii, as well as various unrecognized nations within the present United States, see Former national capitals in the United States.
For the many capitals of the former Province of Canada, see that article
South America
| Old capital city | Country, empire | From | Until | Change, reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cuzco | Inca Empire | fl.13th Century | c.1533 | moved to Lima after the Spanish conquest |
| Coro | Venezuela, Captaincy General of | 1527 | 1578 | moved to Caracas to prevent an invasion due to its large coastline. |
| Antimary | Acre, Republic of | 1899 | 1900 | returned to Bolivia, then incorporated into Brazil |
| Perquenco | Araucanía and Patagonia, Kingdom of | 1860 | ? | incorporated to Chile and Argentina |
| Paraná | Argentine Confederation | 1853 | 1861 | moved to Buenos Aires, after the secessionist State of Buenos Ayres rejoined Argentina |
| Salvador da Bahia | Brazil | 1549 | 1763 | moved to Rio de Janeiro |
| Rio de Janeiro | Portugal | 1808 | 1815 | became capital of Portugal when the Portuguese king John VI moved to the colony of Brazil during the war with Napoleonic France in 1808. |
| Rio de Janeiro | Portugal, Brazil, and the Algarve; Kingdom of | 1815 | 1825 | It came into being when the colony of Brazil was elevated to the rank of a Kingdom, and the Kingdoms of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarve were united as a single State by the title of The United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarve by a Law issued on December 16, 1815. |
| Rio de Janeiro | Brazil | 1763 | 1960 | moved to Brasília |
| Concepción | Chile, Kingdom of | 1565 | 1575 | moved to Santiago |
| Concepción del Uruguay |
Entre Rios, Republic of |
1820 | 1821 | country dissolved (and incorporated to Argentina) after the death of Francisco Ramírez |
| Laguna | Juliana Republic | 1836 | 1836 | reincorpored to the Brazilian Empire after the War of the Farrapos |
| Purificación | Liga Federal | 1815 | 1820 | country dissolved |
| Tacna | Peru-Bolivian Confederation | 1837 | 1839 | country ceased to exist |
| Piratini | Riograndense Republic | 1836 | 1845 | reincorpored to the Brazilian Empire after the War of the Farrapos |
| This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. |
See also
- Historical capitals of China
- List of Egyptian capitals
- Capital of France
- Capital of Germany
- Capital of India
- List of capitals in the United States
- Location of European Union institutions
- Extinct countries, empires, etc.
- Countries by date of nationhood