KOTHEN, or CÖTHEN, a town of Germany, capital of the duchy of Anhalt-Köthen, on the Ziethe, and on the Berlin-Bernburg, and Magdeburg-Leipzig railways, 40 miles N.E. of Leipzig. It consists of an old and new town, and is well and regularly built. Among its public buildings are the old ducal palace, where the states hold their sittings, and which has a small collection of pictures, a collection of coins, and a good library; the new ducal palace; the prince's palace; a Lutheran, a Reformed, and a Roman Catholic church, and a Jewish synagogue. It has an institution for noble ladies, founded by Princess Gisela Agnes in 1711, a high school, normal school, and theatre. There are manufactures of linen and woolen stuffs, and some trade in corn and wool. Pop. 6200.