(German Coblenz), a strongly fortified city, capital of the Prussian province of the Rhine, and of a government of its own name, is pleasantly situated on the left bank of the Rhine, at its confluence with the Moselle. From this circumstance it derived its ancient name of Confluentes, of which Coblenz is a corruption. The fortifications are very extensive, connecting the works on the left bank of the Rhine with the very strong fortress of Ehrenbreitstein, standing on a high rock on the opposite bank; and thus render Coblenz the bulwark of Prussia and Germany on the side of France. They form a fortified camp capable of containing 100,000 men, and are constructed on the combined systems of Carnot and Montalembert. Several detached forts command the various approaches to the city. The Rhine is here crossed by a bridge of boats 485 yards long, and the Moselle by a Gothic freestone bridge of 14 arches, and 1100 feet in length, erected in the fourteenth century. The streets of Coblenz are mostly regular, and many of the public buildings are handsome. Among these may be noticed the modern electoral palace, erected in 1778-86, now used as a court-house; the old castle of the electors, built in 1280, now converted into a factory of japan-ware; the church of St Castor, built in 836, and surmounted by four towers, notable as the place where in 843 the grandsons of Charlemagne met to apportion the empire. In front of the church of St Castor is a fountain, erected by the French in 1812, with an inscription to commemorate their invasion of Russia. To this St Priest, the Russian commandant of the city in 1814, added "vu et approuvé." It has also a gymnasium, hospital, orphan asylum, theatre, public library, picture gallery, musical institute, medical school, &c. The manufactures consist chiefly of linens, cottons, japan-ware, and tobacco.

Coblenz is a free port, and carries on an active trade by means of the Rhine, Moselle, and Lahn, in colonial produce, wines, mineral waters, corn, iron, volcanic products, potter's clay, stoneware, bark, &c. Pop. (1849) 25,318, including 4652 military. Prince Metternich was born here in 1772. The government of Coblenz has an area of 2320 square miles, with 25 cities, 35 market towns, 1092 villages, and (in 1849) 502,984 inhabitants, of whom 334,548 were Catholics, 159,716 Protestants, and 8475 Jews.