LINZ, or LINZ, a city of the Austrian empire, capital of Upper Austria; situate chiefly on the right bank of the Danube,
at its junction with the Traun, here crossed by a wooden bridge, 900 feet long, 105 miles W. of Vienna; N. Lat. 48. 19., E. Long. 14. 17. The city is situate in a beautiful part of the country. It has three suburbs, which are larger than the city proper. It is entered by four gates, and is surrounded by a cordon of forts, of which twenty-three are on the right bank of the Danube, and nine on the left. They communicate with each other by a covered way, which is fully 9 miles in circuit. The streets are, on the whole, spacious and well built, and this has been the effect of not a few destructive fires. There are, however, few public buildings of importance. In the Landhaus, which was formerly a Franciscan convent, the parliament of Upper Austria holds its meetings. On an eminence overlooking the Danube, and rising above the rest of the town, is a castle, formerly inhabited by the dukes of Austria, but now used as a prison and penitentiary. In the largest square stands a column to the Holy Trinity, erected by Charles VI. in 1723; and beside it are two fountains, adorned with statues. The only other buildings worthy of note are,—the bank, the theatre, the custom-house, and a large government establishment for the manufacture of carpets. Linz is the see of a bishop, and possesses a cathedral and seven churches. The Matthias Kirche contains a monument of the celebrated Montecuculi. There are also a lyceum, with a theological and philosophical faculty, a large library, and a number of good schools. The charitable institutions are numerous.
The imperial factory, together with the other establishments of this kind, are engaged principally in the manufacture of woollen, cotton, and silk goods, leather, cards, and tobacco; and trade in these articles has greatly extended since the opening of the railway (a tramroad on the American plan) to Gmünden and Budweis, and since, Linz has been a station for steamers on the Danube.
Linz is supposed to have been originally a Roman station, and retained its name of Lentia during the middle ages. In 1036 it was purchased by Leopold II., margrave of Austria. It was attacked in 1626 by Fehldinger, the peasant leader, but it held out successfully. Pop. 31,000.