City status

City status is a symbolic and legal designation given by a monarch, national or subnational government.

Historically, city status was a privilege granted by royal letters of patent.

Sovereigns could establish cities by decree, e.g. Helsinki, regardless of what was in the location beforehand.

Historically, British city status was often conferred on settlements with a diocesan cathedral; in more recent times towns apply to receive city status by letters patent at times of national celebration.

The upgrade was considered desirable by local governments because the new status provides additional powers of taxation and administration, the right to expand the size of government, and an increase in the proportion of land which could be converted from agriculture to buildings.