The term Federal City (Bundesstadt in German) is a title for certain cities in Germany, Switzerland, the Russian Federation, and the United States.
In Germany, the former capital Bonn has been designated as a Federal City. Since April 28, 1994, it is the second official residence of the President of Germany, the Chancellor of Germany, the Bundesrat (upper house), the first official residence of six federal ministries and approximately 20 federal authorities.
Federal City is also the official title of Bern as the de facto capital of Switzerland. Russia also has two Federal Cities, Moscow and St. Petersburg. Historically, Washington, D.C., has also been called the “Federal City”.
For Bonn, Bern etc. this is merely a title, since Bonn is like many other German cities an independent city, but part of a state.
Some national capitals, like Washington, D.C., Canberra, Mexico City and Brasilia, have a federal status, not belonging to any state. Sometimes this is called Federal district.
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Famous quotes containing the words federal and/or city:
“Goodbye, boys; I’m under arrest. I may have to go to jail. I may not see you for a long time. Keep up the fight! Don’t surrender! Pay no attention to the injunction machine at Parkersburg. The Federal judge is a scab anyhow. While you starve he plays golf. While you serve humanity, he serves injunctions for the money powers.”
—Mother Jones (1830–1930)
“The city of Washington is in some respects self-contained, and it is easy there to forget what the rest of the United States is thinking about. I count it a fortunate circumstance that almost all the windows of the White House and its offices open upon unoccupied spaces that stretch to the banks of the Potomac ... and that as I sit there I can constantly forget Washington and remember the United States.”
—Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924)