BRESLAU, the chief town of the duchy of that name,
and of all Silesia, is situated at the conflux of the O-
der and Ohlau, in E. Long. 17. 5. N. Lat. 51. 4. In-
cluding the suburbs, it is of great extent; having many
large regular squares, broad streets, stately public and
private edifices; but the fortifications are of no great
importance. Here are in particular a great many
churches and convents belonging to the Catholics; of
the former are several also belonging to the Lutherans,
one to the Calvinists, and another to the Greeks. The
Jews have likewise two synagogues, the bishop a stately
palace, and the Lutherans two gymnasiums. The Po-
pish university is a noble structure, nor is the exchange
destitute of magnificence. This city is the seat of all the
high colleges; and the third in rank, next to Berlin
and Konigberg, in all the Prussian dominions. The
magnificence of it is Lutheran, and its trade and man-
ufactures are very considerable. Several of the monas-
teries and nunneries are very magnificent; and there are
also some good public libraries in it, with two armour-
ies, a college of physicians, and a mint. Breslau is
very populous, and much frequented by Hungarian,
Bohemian, Polish, and other merchants, having several
yearly fairs. The city was taken by the king of Prussia
in 1741, and retaken by the Austrians in 1757; but
the king of Prussia took it back again the same year,
and gained a signal victory over the Austrians at Leu-
then, a village not far from the capital.