About Albany

Albany is the capital of the U.S. state of New York and the seat of Albany County. Roughly 150 miles north of the City of New York, Albany developed on the west bank of the Hudson River, about 10 miles south of its confluence with the Mohawk River. This was the first European settlement in the state, settled by Dutch colonists who built Fort Nassau for fur trading in 1614 and Fort Orange in 1614. Albany's geographic situation—roughly equidistant between New York City to the south and Montreal to the north, as well as approximately 4.5 hours east of Buffalo, and 1.5 hours west of Boston—makes it a convenient stop for nationally touring artists and acts. As of the 2010 census, there were 97,856 people residing in the city. The population of the census area in 2009 was estimated to be 1,170,483. Because of Albany's historical and political significance, the city has numerous museums, historical buildings, and historic districts. Albany also has several festivals during the year including the Tulip Festival in early May.