The capital of New York State, although New York City is its largest city, is Albany.
Albany has been New York’s capital since 1797. It stands on the west bank of the Hudson River, roughly halfway between New York City and the Canadian border, and became an important center for trade and transportation.
The area was visited by Henry Hudson in 1609 and later settled by the Dutch as Fort Orange. The English renamed the settlement Albany in 1664. Its location along the Hudson helped it remain politically significant after the colonial period.
New York City is often mistaken for the state capital because it is the state’s largest and most internationally famous city. However, Albany is the seat of the state government. The New York State Capitol was built over several decades in the nineteenth century and combines several architectural styles.