a small city of Switzerland, in the canton of Vaud, on the river of the same name, across which there is a stone bridge. It contains 280 houses, with 1400 inhabitants. Anciently it was one of the largest of the cities in the country, and in the time of the Romans was, under the name of Urbigenum, the capital of Helvetia. In the middle ages the kings of the Franconian race had their palace here, and gave their splendid festivals; but in the Burgundian wars it suffered greatly, and declined so much as to become subject to the cantons of Berne and Friburg. It now contains some large houses. The inhabitants chiefly depend on agriculture, but have some trade with Geneva and Yverdon.