Sets out to explore what makes capital cities different from other cities, why their planning is unique, and why there is such variety from one city to another. This book is intended for those with an interest in urban planning and design, architectural, planning and urban history, urban geography, or capital cities and why they are what they are.

To bring the book to a close, Peter Hall looks to the future of capital cities in the twenty-first century. For anyone with an interest in urban planning and design, architectural, planning and urban history, urban geography, or simply capital cities and why they are what they are, "Planning Twentieth Century Capital Cities" will be the key source book for a long time to come.

Foreword"
"1. Capital Cities in the Twentieth Century 2. Seven Types of Capital City
3. The Urban Design of Twentieth Century Capitals
4. Paris: From the Legacy of Haussmann to the Pursuit of Cultural Supremacy
5. Moscow and St Petersburg: A tale of two capitals
6. Helsinki: From Provincial to National Centre
7. London: The Contradictory Capital
8. Tokyo: Forged by Market Forces and Not the Power of Planning"
"9. Washington: The DC's History of Unresolved Planning Conflicts
10. Canberra: Where Landscape is Pre-eminent
11. Ottawa-Hull: Lumber Town to National Capital
12. Brasilia: A Capital in the Hinterland " "13. New Delhi: Imperial Capital to Capital of the World's Largest Democracy"
"14. Berlin: Capital under Changing Political Regimes"
"15. Rome: Where Great Events not Regular Planning Bring Development"
"16. Chandigarh: India's Modernist Experiment"
"17. Brussels: Capital of Belgium and 'Capital of Europe'
18. New York City: Super-Capital -- Not by Government Alone
19. What is the Future of Capital Cities?