Großstadt

Großstadt is a German term used to describe a large city. In urban studies and statistical classifications it commonly designates a municipality with a population of about 100,000 or more, though the exact threshold varies by country and context. In everyday usage, Großstädte are understood as regional economic and cultural centers with substantial employment, institutions, and services.

In Germany many Großstädte are central components of wider metropolitan regions (Metropolregionen) that extend beyond the city borders, such as the Rhine-Ruhr, Munich, and Berlin–Brandenburg areas. The urban fabric typically combines a dense inner city and central business district with extensive public transit, dense housing, and a network of suburban areas. Cultural life tends to be concentrated in museums, theaters, universities, and media. Economic activity often spans services, administration, industry, and research.

Challenges commonly associated with Großstädte include housing affordability, social and spatial segregation, traffic and pollution, and the need to modernize infrastructure and adapt to climate change. Planning approaches emphasize sustainable mobility, mixed-use development, affordable housing, and the strengthening of urban centers within larger regions.

Examples of German Großstädte include Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Düsseldorf, Dortmund, Essen, Leipzig, Bremen, and Hannover. The term serves as a descriptive category in planning and statistics, indicating a city of regional importance within the national urban system.