Try it for yourself
07Hamburg · City and federal state

Hamburg is both a city and a federal state.

Of the four answers, Hamburg is the city-state. Saxony, Bavaria and Thuringia are territorial states.

About 4 min readReviewed: 20 October 2026
AI-generated group of simple wooden houses on one round base.
Hamburg constitutionArticles 1 and 4 · Federal state and city-state
Symbolic city motif; not a scale model or administrative plan of Hamburg.
The short answer

Hamburg is correct.

Hamburg is a federal state within the Federal Republic of Germany. At the same time, state and municipal functions are carried out within that city-state. Being a large city alone does not make a place a city-state.

Try it for yourselfHamburg · No. 07
Which federal state is ein Stadtstaat?

Choose one answer. Your result stays on this page only.

The term describes the political structure.

Article 1 of Hamburg’s constitution establishes Hamburg as a state within the Federal Republic. Article 4 specifies that state and municipal functions are not separated. This explains the dual role: Hamburg performs city functions while also holding the status of a federal state.

At state level, Hamburg has the Bürgerschaft as its parliament and the Senate as its government. For local responsibilities, its territory is divided into seven boroughs. Altona and Wandsbek are therefore not additional states. Their assemblies and administrative offices form part of Hamburg’s internal organisation.

Two fictional adults examine a small group of houses on a shared base.
AI-generated study scene about the connection between city and state.

The other three answers

The other answers name federal states with many separate municipalities.

Sachsen

Saxony is a territorial state. Having large cities does not make the entire state one city with state status.

Bayern

Bavaria is also a territorial state. The designation Free State does not mean city-state; it does not indicate that the state is combined into one city.

Thüringen

Thuringia is a territorial state. It is not one of Germany’s three city-states: Hamburg, Berlin and Bremen.

City-state here does not mean an independent country outside Germany.

Hamburg is part of the Federal Republic and bound by the Basic Law. City-state describes its organisation within Germany’s federal system. The words free and Hanseatic city in its official name do not make Hamburg a sovereign country alongside Germany.

Germany has three city-states. Bremen is a particular case containing the two municipalities of Bremen and Bremerhaven. The shorthand city-state must therefore not lead to the mistaken rule that every city-state has exactly one municipality. Of the answers offered here, Hamburg alone is correct.

Articles 1 and 4 · Federal state and city-state · Hamburg constitution ↗
Your memory cue

Hamburg: city + federal state = city-state.

Altona is a borough within Hamburg. Hamburg itself is at federal-state level.

Three words for this question

der Stadtstaatcity-state
A federal state with a particular city-based structure.
das Flächenlandterritorial state
A federal state outside the group of three city-states.
gemeindlichmunicipal
Relating to the functions of a local city or municipality.
Landesrecht Hamburg · Verfassung, Artikel 1, 4, 6 und 33 ↗

Learn Hamburg’s local and state institutions.

HH 02Which is a borough of Hamburg?
Catalogue answer

Altona

Altona is one of Hamburg’s local divisions.

HH 09What is the head of government called in the city-state of Hamburg?
Catalogue answer

First Mayor

The First Mayor heads the government.

Put understanding into practice

One question understood. Ready for the next?

Practise all 310 questions for your state in our four free modes. No account needed. No advertising.

Keep practising for free Explore Plus

Optional: Plus for history, statistics and targeted revision. €4.99/month including VAT, renewing monthly.

Sources & context

An independently written study guide, not an official BAMF publication or advice for an individual case. The sources below were reviewed on 20 October 2026 for the claims explained here; the test question comes from the existing question bank.

The two editorial pictures are AI-generated illustrations. They do not document real events or official proceedings.