the capital of the kingdom of Denmark, situated on the eastern shore of the island of Zealand, upon a fine bay of the Baltic sea, not far from the strait called the Sound. E. Long. 13° 0' N. Lat. 55° 30'.

The precise date of the foundation of this city is disputed; but the most probable account is, that it took its rise from a castle built on the spot in the year 1168, as a protection against the pirates which at that time swarmed in the Baltic. The convenience of the situation, and the security afforded by the castle, soon induced a number of the inhabitants of Zealand to resort thither: but it was not distinguished by the royal residence until 1443, during the reign of Christopher of Bavaria; since which period it has been gradually enlarged and beautified, and is become the capital of Denmark.

Copenhagen is the best built city of the north; for although Petersburgh excels it in superb edifices, yet, as it contains no wooden houses, it does not display that striking contrast of meanness and magnificence, but in general exhibits a more equable and uniform appearance. The town is surrounded towards the land with regular ramparts and bastions, a broad ditch full of water, and a few outworks: its circumference measures between four and five miles. The streets are well paved, with a foot-way on each side, but too narrow and inconvenient for general use. The greatest part of the buildings are of brick; and a few are of free-stone brought from Germany. The houses of the nobility are in general splendid, and constructed in the Italian style of architecture: the palace, which was erected by Christian VI. is a large pile of building; the front is of stone, and the wings of brick flanked; the suite of apartments is princely; but the external appearance is more grand than elegant.

The busy spirit of commerce is visible in this city, which contains about 80,000 inhabitants. The haven is always crowded with merchant ships; and the streets are intersected by broad canals, which bring the merchandise close to the warehouses that line the quays. This city owes its principal beauty to a dreadful fire in 1728, that destroyed five churches and 67 streets, which have been since rebuilt in the modern style. The new part of the town, raised by the late King Frederic V., is extremely beautiful, scarcely inferior to Bath. It consists of an octagon, containing four uniform and elegant buildings of hewn stone, and of four broad streets leading to it in opposite directions. In the middle of the area stands an equestrian statue of Frederic V. in bronze, as big as life, which cost 80,000 l. The Royal Museum, or Cabinet of Rarities, merits the attention of travellers. This collection, which was begun by Frederic III., is deposited in eight apartments, and ranged in the following order: animals, shells, minerals, paintings, antiquities, medals, dresses, arms and implements of the Laplanders.

Part of Copenhagen, which is called Christiania, is built upon the Isle of Amak, which generally attracts the curiosity of foreigners; (see AMAK). From this place, to which the main city is joined by a bridge, the markets are supplied with fowl, beef, mutton, venison, corn, and culinary vegetables, which are produced here in the greatest abundance.

COBERNICAN, in general, something belonging to COBERNICUS. Hence,

COBERNICAN SYSTEM or Hypothesis, that system of the world, wherein the sun is supposed to rest in the centre, and the planets, with the earth, to move in ellipses round him. See COBERNICUS.

COBERNICUS (Nicolaus), an eminent astronomer, was born at Thorn in Prussia, Jan. 10, 1472. He was taught the Latin and Greek languages at home; and afterwards sent to Cracovia, where he studied philosophy and physic. His genius in the mean time was naturally turned to mathematics, which he pursued through all its various branches. He set out for Italy when he was 23 years of age; but stayed at Bologna some time, for the sake of being with the celebrated astronomer of that place, Dominicus Maria; whose conversation, however, and company, he affected, not so much as a learner, as an assistant to him in making his observations. From thence he passed to Rome, where he was no sooner arrived than he was considered as not inferior to the famous Regiomontanus; and acquired in short so great a reputation, that he was chosen professor of mathematics, which he taught for a long time with great applause. He also made some astronomical observations there about the year 1500. Returning to his own country some years after, he began to apply his vast knowledge in mathematics to correct the system of astronomy which then prevailed. He set himself to collect all the books which had been written by philosophers and astronomers, and to examine all the various hypotheses they had invented for the solution of the celestial phenomena; to try if a more symmetrical order and constitution of the parts of the world could not be discovered, and a more just and exquisite harmony in its motions established, than what the astronomers of those times so easily admitted. But of all their hypotheses none pleased him so well as the Pythagorean, which made the sun to be the centre of the system, and supposed the earth to move not only round the sun, but round its own axis also. He thought he discerned much Copernicus. beautiful order and proportion in this; and that all Cophti. that embarrassment and perplexity from epicycles and eccentrics, which attended the Ptolemaic hypotheses, would here be entirely removed.

This system, then, he began to consider, and to write upon, when he was about 35 years of age. He employed himself in contemplating the phenomena carefully; in making mathematical calculations; in examining the observations of the ancients, and in making new ones of his own; and after more than 20 years chiefly spent in this manner, he brought his scheme to perfection, and established that system of the world which goes by his name, and is now universally received, (see Astronomy, no 22.) His system, however, was then looked upon as a most dangerous heresy: for which he was thrown into prison by Pope Urban VIII. and not suffered to come out till he had recanted his opinion; that is, till he had renounced the testimony of his senses. He died the 24th of May 1543, in the 70th year of his age.

This extraordinary man had been made canon of Worms by his mother's brother, Lucas Wazerodius, who was bishop of that place. He was not only the greatest of astronomers, but a perfect master of the Greek and Latin tongues; to all which he joined the greatest piety and innocence of manners.