a celebrated city of Germany, capital of the circle of the Upper Danube, in Bavaria. On the conquest of Raetia by Drusus, Augustus established a Roman colony here, about B.C. 14, and gave it the name of Augusta Vindelicorum. In the fifth century it was sacked by the Huns, and afterwards came under the power of the Frankish kings. It was almost entirely destroyed in the war of Charlemagne against Thassilon, Duke of Bavaria; and after the dissolution and division of that empire, it fell into the hands of the Dukes of Swabia. After this it rose rapidly into importance as a manufacturing and commercial town, and about the middle of the thirteenth century it was raised to the rank of a free imperial city, which it retained till 1806, when it was annexed to the kingdom of Bavaria.

This city is pleasantly situated in an extensive and fertile plain, between the rivers Werlach and Lech, 36 miles W.N.W. of Munich, with which it is connected by railway. Lat. 48. 21. 46. Long. 10. 54. 42. E. Its fortifications were dismantled in 1703, and though still surrounded by walls and ditches, these would now form but a poor defence against an enemy. The town is generally ill-built; one street, however (Maximilian Street), is remarkable both for its breadth and architectural magnificence. The public buildings of Augsburg are worthy of notice. Among these is the town-hall, said to be the finest in Germany, built in the beginning of the seventeenth century. One of its rooms, called the "Golden Hall" from the profusion of its gilding, is 110 feet long, 58 broad, and 52 high. The palace of the bishops, where the memorable Confession of Faith was presented to Charles V., is now used for government offices. There are also a cathedral, various churches and chapels, a school of arts, a polytechnic institution, a picture gallery, gymnasium, deaf-mute institution, orphan asylum, public library, &c. The "Fuggerei," built in 1519 by the bro- Augsburg Fugger, consists of 106 small houses let to indigent citizens at a mere nominal rent. The manufactures of Augsburg are various and important, consisting of woollen, linen, cotton, and silk goods, watches, jewellery, mathematical instruments, machinery, leather, paper, &c. The Allgemeine Zeitung, or Augsburg Gazette, is published here. It is the principal seat of the commerce of S. Germany, and of the commercial transactions between that and the S. of Europe. Pop. (1849), including the garrison, 37,986.

Augsburg Confession. This celebrated confession of faith was drawn up by Luther and Melanchthon, on behalf of themselves and other reformers, and presented in 1530 to the Emperor Charles V. at the diet of Augusta or Augsburg, in the name of the evangelic body. It contains 28 chapters, of which the greater part is occupied with an impartial representation of the religious opinions of the Protestants, and the remainder in pointing out the errors and abuses that occasioned their separation from the Church of Rome.