a principality of Germany, forming part of the possessions of the grand duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. It consists of one principal and several detached portions, the former being bounded on the N. by Prussian Saxony, E. by Saxo-Gotha and Saxo-Meiningen, S. by Bavaria, and W. by Hesse-Cassel. This principality was formerly an independent possession; but on the death of the last duke in 1741, it fell by succession to the dukes of Saxe-Weimar, of whose dominions it now forms a circle. It has an area of 466 square miles, and in 1853 had 82,321 inhabitants. The general character of the soil is mountainous, and the grain produced is not equal to the wants of the inhabitants.

the capital of the above principality, is situated at the confluence of the Hörsel and Neisse, 42 miles W. of Weimar. Pop., including suburbs, about 10,000. The town is surrounded by walls, and is clean and well-built. It has a handsome ducal palace, several churches and hospitals, a town-hall, library, mint, gymnasium, normal school, and school for foresters. The chief manufactures are woollen, linen, and cotton goods, soap, white lead, and leather. About a mile and a half S. of the town is the celebrated castle of Wartburg—once the residence of the landgraves of Thuringia—in which Luther was confined for ten months, after his return from Worms, under the friendly arrest of the Elector of Saxony. The chapel in which he preached, and the cell which he occupied, have been carefully preserved.