called by the natives Piacenza, is a town of Italy, and capital of a duchy of the same name, with a bishop's see. It is seated about 100 paces from the river Po, in a very fertile pleasant plain, watered by a great number of rivulets, and surrounded with hills, abounding in all sorts of fruits. In its territory there are salt-springs, from which they make a very white salt; and there are also mines of iron, woods, and warrens. It contains a great number of merchants, and is reckoned three miles in circumference. Its fortifications are inconsiderable, but the citadel is pretty strong. The streets are straight, and the principal street, called Stradone, is 25 common paces broad and 300 feet long, in a direct line, with 600 stone polls, for separating the foot from the carriage-way, and on both sides are 11 spacious convents. The other buildings of the city are not very remarkable, though it contains 45 churches, 28 convents, and two almshouses. The cathedral is pretty much in the Gothic taste; but the church of the Augustines is reckoned the most beautiful, and esteemed worthy of its architecture, the celebrated Vignoli. The ducal palace, though large, makes no great appearance on the outside; but within are some good apartments. In the area before the town-house stands two admirable bronz statues of Alexander and Renatus IV., both of the house of Farnese, and dukes of Parma and Placentia. The bishop is suffragan to the archbishop of Milan. At this city begins the Via Emilia, which extends as far as Rimini on the Adriatic. The number of the inhabitants is about 30,000, among whom there are 2000 ecclesiastics. This city has been taken several times in the wars of Italy. The king of Sardinia took possession of it in 1744, it being ceded to him by the queen of Hungary; but it was taken from him in 1746, after a bloody battle. It has a famous university, and the inhabitants are much esteemed for their politeness. There is a great fair here every year on the 15th of April, which is much frequented. It is about 32 miles north-west of Parma and 83 east of Turin. E. Long. 10° 24'. N. Lat. 45° 5'.