Saint Paul (abbreviated St. Paul) is the capital of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County. Situated on high bluffs overlooking a bend in the Mississippi River, Saint Paul is a regional business hub and the center of Minnesota’s government. The Minnesota State Capitol and the state government offices all sit on a hill close to the city’s downtown district. One of the oldest cities in Minnesota, Saint Paul has several historic neighborhoods and landmarks, such as the Summit Avenue Neighborhood and the James J. Hill House. Like the nearby and larger city of Minneapolis, Saint Paul is known for its cold, snowy winters and humid summers.

As of 2020, its population was 311,527, making it the 63rd-largest city in the United States, the 11th-most populous in the Midwest, and the second-most populous in Minnesota. Most of the city lies east of the Mississippi River at the confluence with the Minnesota River. Minneapolis is mostly across the Mississippi River to the west. Together, they are known as the “Twin Cities”. They are the core of Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area, home to nearly 3.7 million and the third-largest in the Midwest.

The Legislative Assembly of the Minnesota Territory established the Town of St. Paul as its capital near existing Dakota Sioux settlements in November 1849. It remained a town until 1854. The Dakota name for where Saint Paul is situated is “Imnizaska” for the “white rock” bluffs along the river. The city has two sports stadiums: Xcel Energy Center, home to the Minnesota Wild, and Allianz Field, home to the Minnesota United.