Home1797 Edition

BRESLAV

Volume 3 · 256 words · 1797 Edition

the chief town of the duchy of that name, and of all Silesia, is situated at the conflux of the Oder and Ohlau, in E. Long. 17° 5'. N. Lat. 51° 4'. Including the suburbs, it is of great extent; having many large regular squares, broad streets, flatly 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 gymnasiaums. The Polish 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 magistracy of it is Lutheran, and its trade and manufactures are very considerable. Several of the monasteries and nunneries are very magnificent; and there are also some good public libraries in it, with two armories, 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 Leuthen, a village not far from the capital.