The first city I designed for my fantasy world was Venn, a city that in my mind’s eye was about the size of Medieval York – a rough circle of about 1km diameter.

For the Great City of Azinor though, the greatest city in my world, seat of the Ministerial Synod… I want to convey a city of great power, and I imagined it being bigger, much bigger.

It has often troubled me a little how relatively small fantasy cities are compared with real life, because to me fantasy is not the same as historic. We have technology, but in other worlds where different powers exist to resolve the complexities of feeding masses of people then perhaps cities could also continue grow relatively unconstrained?

Azinor, the ancient city began in times before history records as a triangular island three miles to a side in the great river Azinon, two miles from North bank to South. Great power-wrought bridges span the water, and the city continues on farther than the eye can see.
Azinor is thousands of years old, exceeds thirty-miles from edge to edge, and houses millions of souls.

A rough scale comparison of Azinor to other cities.