one of the four free cities of Germany, is situated upon both sides of the Weser, 46 miles from the sea and 60 miles S.W. of Hamburg. Lat. of observatory 53° 4′ 36″ N. Long. 8° 48′ 54″ E. As early as 788, Bremen was made the seat of a bishopric by Charlemagne; and about 60 years afterwards, Hamburg having been attacked and taken by the Normans, the archbishop removed his seat thence to Bremen. This city became early of considerable mercantile importance, and in 1283 joined the Hanseatic league. About the middle of the sixteenth century the archbishop of Bremen and most of the inhabitants declared for the Protestant religion, which occasioned the separation of the city from the rest of the diocese. The former became independent; the latter was secularized; and by the peace of Westphalia, in 1648, was ceded to Sweden as a duchy. In a war between Denmark and Sweden in 1712, it was conquered by the former, and along with the duchy of Verden sold to Hanover. After much negotiation the purchase was confirmed by the imperial diet of 1732. It now forms part of the Hanoverian province of Stade. In 1640, Bremen was made an imperial city. It was taken by the French in 1806; and from 1810 to 1813, was the capital of the department of the Mouths of the Weser. In 1815 it was restored to independence by the Congress of Vienna. It subsequently became a member of the German confederation, and now furnishes 485 men to the federal army. The old town is situated on the right, and the new town on the left, bank of the river. In the former, which is the larger and more populous portion, the streets are generally narrow and crooked; but the streets of the new town are more regular and the houses more elegant. The river is lined on both sides by extensive and commodious quays, and crossed by two bridges, the larger of which was opened in 1842. The old ramparts have been converted into beautiful promenades. Among the public buildings are the cathedral, built in 1160; the church of St. Ansgarius, with a handsome spire 325 feet high; the town hall, a fine old Gothic building, formerly the archiepiscopal palace, and which has recently been restored; the exchange, with a library of 25,000 volumes; museum, theatre, the observatory of Dr. Olbers, a public library of 20,000 volumes, gymnasium, navigation school, and a deaf-mute institution. The manufactures are considerable, particularly tobacco, snuff, and cigars. There are also sugar refineries, breweries, distilleries, tanneries, paper works, and manufactures of woollen, linen, and cotton goods. Ship-building is extensively carried on. Bremen is the principal emporium of Brunswick, Hesse, and Hanover, and carries on an active trade with North and South America, the West Indies, Russia (particularly Archangel), France, England, &c. Its chief imports are tobacco, sugar, coffee, and other colonial products, iron, timber, wines, &c.; exports, linen and woollen goods, snuff, cigars, sugar, soap, leather, vitriol, &c. In 1827 it had only 74 merchant vessels; it 1850 it had 236 vessels, of the aggregate burden of 92,870 tons. In 1851 the arrivals were 2518 vessels, of 171,603 tons, the departures 2393 vessels, of 181,124 tons; the imports in that year by sea amounted to L2,904,593, by land, L3,196,650; exports by sea, L2,743,095, by land, L2,598,108. Vessels drawing more than seven feet cannot come up to the town, and, accordingly, an excellent harbour with a magnificent dock and floodgate, capable of admitting at high water vessels of 25 feet draught, has been formed at Bremerhaven on the Weser, 30 miles below the city, a small territory obtained by Bremen from Hanover in 1827. Vessels drawing from 13 to 14 feet can ascend the river as far as Vegesack, 13 miles below Bremen.

The entire territory of Bremen has an area of 74 square miles. Pop. in 1849, 79,047, of whom 53,478 were inhabitants of Bremen, 3538 of Vegesack, and 3618 of Bremerhaven. With the exception of about 2000 Catholics, the inhabitants are Lutherans or Calvinists. No Jews are allowed to live in the city. According to the new constitution, adopted March 5, and published April 8, 1849, the senate, which has the executive power, is composed of 16 members, nominated for life by the senators and the bourgeoise in common. Of these, eight, of whom five must be lawyers, are chosen by the liberal professions, five from the commercial, and three from the working classes. Two of the senators are nominated by their colleagues as burgomasters, who preside in succession, and hold office for four years, one retiring every two years. The assembly of the bourgeoise consists of 800 representatives, holding office for four years, one-half going out every two years. In the budget of 1852, the revenue is given at L1,160,827, and the expenditure at L1,158,970.