lation, having 278,000 Inhab. (50,000 Roman Catholics, 20,000 Jews, 8000 soldiers). It is built on both banks of the Oder, which is split into branches and crossed by several bridges. The fortifications were partly demolished by the French in 1806-7, and since then have been levelled, and converted into Boulevard gardens for the recreation of the inhabitants, tastefully planted, so that the whole forms a delightful belt of verdure, separating the old town from the suburbs. From the Belvedere on the Taschen-Bastei the town is best seen; and from the Ziegel-Bastei there is a good view of the Oder, which, though rarely picturesque below Breslau, here assumes a pleasing character. Breslau is interesting to passing travellers, not only as a commercial town -bustling, prosperous, and wealthybut also on account of various objects of art and antiquity contained in it. It is one of the principal industrial cities in Germany, and its chief manufactures are steam-engines and railway carriages, and distilled spirits. The principal streets are the Schweidnitzer Strasse, leading N. from the Tauentzien-Platz to the Grosser Ring, and the line is continued N. in the Schmiedegasse to the Oder and Sandinsel, where the 3 principal churches are grouped together. The Churches-20 Catholic, 10 Protestant - are exceedingly interesting, from the number of mural monuments and other works in alto-relievo which decorate their porches and exterior walls. The Cathedral of St. John Baptist (Cath.) begun 1148, continued through later centuries, and now much modernized, stands upon the Dominsel. It is distinguished by its quaint and not ungraceful architecture of red brick. The choir is finely vaulted, has carved stalls and silver altar. In the Lady Chapel, which has a square end, is the marble effigy of Bp. Pretzlaus, its founder, d. 1376, with a herse of iron, having lanterns in the angles and brasses. There is a monument of Card. Bp. Friedrich, Landgrave of Hesse. The | fine bronze relief of Bp. Johann v. Roth (1496) is by Peter Vischer. In the chapel of St. John is Lucas Cranach's altar-piece, the *Madonna unter Tannen. The monument having 2 Turks for supporters is that of Duke Christian of Holstein, who fell fighting against the Turks in Hungary, 1691. A small street, Domstrasse, behind the Dom, leads to the Botanic Garden, which for its extent, arrangement (under Prof. Nees von Esenbeck), and fine plantations, well deserves a visit. Beyond this is the Zoological Garden, and some distance to the N. is the handsome Gothic St. Michael's Church, built in 1871. The Kreuzkirche (Cath.), close to the Dom and much less altered, is a singular and picturesque building, founded 1288, with 2 towers at the W. end. It is of lofty proportions, and raised upon a lower ch. or crypt. See the monument of Duke Henry IV., its founder (1290), with his effigy of terra-cotta, supported by angels and priests, and set round with bas-reliefs. There is a good view of the town from the top of the tower. St. Elizabeth's Ch. (Prot.), begun 1253, restored 1857, has a tower 335 ft. high, and is remarkable for monuments of all sorts, pictures, enamels, altars, sculpture, &c. The very handsome Ch. of Our Lady on the Sand (Cath.) has aisles higher than the nave, vaulting alternate; it is of good Gothic, 1330-1336. S. M. Magdalen's Ch. contains some works of art in its chapels and sacristy; but is chiefly interesting for its fine Romanesque doorway, fast falling into decay. In the Square, called Grosser Ring, stands the picturesque *Rathhaus, a large and quaint structure, very remarkable for its architecture within and without; founded by King John of Bohemia, but as it now stands, showing, for the most part, the Gothic of the 15th cent., restored 1862. In the apartment called Fürstensaal the allegiance of the states of Silesia was tendered to its princes, and among them to Frederick the Great. Under it runs a great vaulted chamber-the Schweid- | nitzer Keller, famed for its Beer. The column in front of it (Staupsäule or whipping-post), 1492, surmounted by a figure bearing sword and rod, indicates the jurisdiction of the city, and the power of life and death wielded by its magistrates. W. of the Rathhaus, on the paradeground of the Grosser Ring, is an equestrian statue of Frederick the Great, erected 1847; and on the opposite side, a similar statue of Fred. William III., erected 1861, both by Kiss. Behind Frederick the Great's statue is the Stadthaus, built 1863, from Stüler's design; containing public offices, and an extensive public Library of 300,000 vols., 2000 MSS., &c. (open daily 10 to 2). The Government House, formerly the Palace of Count Hatzfeld, is a fine building; the Schloss, erected 1846, by Schlüter, scarce deserves the name of a palace. W. of this is the Ständehaus. In the Silesian Museum is a collection of casts, a series of engravings, and a picture gallery, chiefly of modern works, with a few indifferent Italian copies. A more interesting department is that of the Silesian Antiquities, containing armour, architectural fragments, and pagan relics. Adm. at all times to strangers, on payment of a small fee. The square named after Blücher, S.W.of the Grosser Ring, is ornamented with a colossal bronze statue of him, by Rauch. The Gothic New Exchange, built by Lüdecke, 1867, is on the Exercierplatz. The Tauentzien-Platz bears a statue by Schadow of the Prussian general Tauentzien (d. 1791), the brave defender of Breslau against the Austrians, under Loudon, 1760. The University, founded 1506 at Frankfort on Oder, and in 1811 united with the Catholic University of Breslau, founded 1702, numbers about 1000 students. The building, originally an Imperial palace, and afterwards a Jesuits' college, contains one very fine apartment called Aula Leopoldina. Connected with the University are the following collections: A Museum of Natural History; the Library of 380,000 volumes, open daily from 9 to 12; the Cabinet of Antiquities -the larger portion are German and Slavonic. The Theatre, at the end of the Schweidnitzer Strasse, twice burnt down in 6 years, is rebuilt. It is not surprising that Breslau, situated in the centre of the most productive manufacturing province of the Prussian dominions, concentrating also the trade of a large portion of Poland and Russia, should enjoy extensive and increasing prosperity. In addition to the extensive manufacture of steam machinery, the articles of commerce are various and important. Corn, metals of many sorts from the Silesian mines, cloths, linen, timber, and fire-wood are the principal. There are nearly 100 distilleries in the town. In addition to this, Breslau is the first market for wool on the Continent. Wool-fairs are held here in June and October. It was an episcopal see as early as 1000, and belonged to Poland till 1163, when it became the capital of the independent Duchy of Silesia. In 1335 it became a part of Bohemia, and was governed by the emperors of the Luxemburg family. In 1523 the city accepted the Reformation, and became subject to Austria in 1527. In 1742 it was taken by Frederick the Great; in 1757 again occupied by the Austrians, but recaptured by Frederick after the battle of Leuthen. In 1806 and 1807 it was besieged by Vandamme, who levelled the fortifications, while six years later the city rose against the French. In March 1813 the youth of Prussia here rallied round their king, Fred. William III.; and here began that patriotic resistance to the French which led to the liberation of Germany, and to the fall of Napoleon. Breslau is a city of Slavonic origin, having been occupied by the Poles and Bohemians alternately for 800 years. Silesia has still a considerable Slavonic population. At the village of Krieblowitz, 14 m. from Breslau, Marshal Blücher died, in 1819. (See Rte. 84.) 159 m. Posen Junct. Stat., described with the rly. N.W. to Stettin and S. to Breslau, in Rte. 80. Five Rly. Stations. -1. Freiburger | burg on the Oder, thence to Guben or bahnhof, to Freiburg, Schweidnitz, the Glogau, in Rte. 81. Rly. (20 m. N.W.) Riesengebirge; and to Berlin and Dres- to Meseritz.] den by way of Liegnitz (Rte. 84). 2. Niederschlesische Bahnhof, to Liegnitz; Berlin and Leipzig for slow trains. These two in the Nicolai-Vorstadt, close together. 3. Central-Bahnhof - Upper Silesian line for express trains, to Berlin, Dresden, Posen; to Warsaw and Vienna. 4. Rt. bank of the Oder line, to Oels, Kempen and Cracow. 5. Oder-Thor Station of the rt. bank of the Oder Rly. to the N. of the town. (Rte. 81c.) ROUTE 81A. BERLIN TO TILSIT, via FRANKFURT ON THE ODER, POSEN, AND THORN. Distance, 469 m.; time, 18 hrs.; 1 through train daily. The through Route is via Küstrin and Schneidemühl (see Rte. 77); by the present Rte. there is a break of 2 hrs. at Posen, 12 hrs. at Thorn, and 2 hrs. at Insterburg, Berlin is described in Rte. 61, and the rly. as far as 51 m. Frankfurt on the Oder Junct. Stat., in Rte. 81. The line proceeds E. to 64 m. Reppen Junct. Stat. [Branch Rly. N.E. to Küstrin, and S.E. to Glogau for Breslau.] 113 m. Bentschen Junct. Stat. [Branch Rly. S.W. 29 m. to Rothen 191 m. Gnesen Junct. Stat. (Pol. Gniezno) (Inn: H. Stahn). This small town of 14,000 Inhab., prettily situated is said to have been the earliest seat of the Polish monarchy, and founded by Lekh, on the spot where he found an eagle's nest (gniesno, whence the name) on the ground. In later times its importance was due to its being the seat of an archbishop, the Primate of Poland. During an interregnum he was the head of the republic, and held greater power than was entrusted to the king. Until 1320 the Polish kings were crowned at Gnesen. There "The Cathedral is a large building, with two brick towers capped by spires at the west end. It would appear to date from the latter part of the 14th century; but not much of the original work is left. The chapels were richly decorated with marbles and sculptures in the 16th and 17th centuries. are also some bronze effigies in low relief, dating from about 1500, and a large engraved brass of Archbishop Jacobus de Senno, ob. 1480, a very singular specimen of art. The most remarkable objects in the church are, however, the bronze valves of the S. doorway, and the shrine of St. Adalbert, which stands in the middle of the nave. The first are no doubt of the 12th cent., and contain in 18 panels subjects from the history of that saint. St. Adalbert, or St. Wojciech was born about 956, became Abp. of Prague, but was eventually driven away from thence by his unruly flock, baptized Stephen of Hungary, afterwards king, and eventually canonized, aided in the conversion of Poland, and was martyred in 997 at Fischhausen, near Danzic, in an attempt to convert the pagan Prussians. He is one of the patron saints of Poland, and is much venerated in all the countries adjacent to the Baltic. He was the composer of the |