SCHWEIDNITZ, a strong town of Germany, in
Silesia, and capital of a province of the same name,
with a castle. It is the handsomest town of Silesia,
next to Breslaw. The streets are large, the church
fine, and the houses well built. The fortifications are
not very considerable; the royal palace is turned into
a convent. All the magistrates are Roman Catholics;
but most of the inhabitants are Protestants, who have
a church without the town, as also a public school and
bells. It is seated on an eminence on the river Wei-
stritz, 27 miles south-east of Lignitz, and 22 south-
west of Breslaw. E. Long. 16. 48. N. Lat. 50. 46.