a fortified town of Prussia, capital of the province of Saxony, and of a cognominal government, is situate on the left bank of the Elbe, 90 miles S.W. from Berlin, with which, as well as with Hamburg, Brunswick, Leipzig, and other places, it is connected by railway. It ranks as a fortress of the first class; and in consequence of the additions and improvements which its fortifications have received since the war, it is now considered one of the strongest places in Europe. On account of its great extent it could not be invested by an army of less than from 50,000 to 100,000 men. The citadel, on an island in the Elbe, serves also as a state prison: Lafayette, Carnot, and others, have been confined in it. Magdeburg consists of three parts.—Altstadt, Neumarkt, and Friedrichstadt, besides the suburbs of Sudenburg and Neustadt. With the exception of one spacious street, called the Broadway, all the streets are narrow and crooked. There are two large public squares, the largest and finest of which is the Domplatz, in which is the cathedral; the other, the market-place, has in the centre an equestrian statue of the Emperor Otto, erected in 973. The Fürstenwall, a sort of terrace extending along the Elbe, and planted with trees, forms a very agreeable promenade. The public gardens outside the Sudenberger Gate, and by the side of the Elbe, are tastefully laid out, and much resorted to. Magdeburg contains few ancient public buildings of note, having been almost burned to the ground by Tilly in 1631, when only 139 houses were left standing. Fortunately, among those saved was the cathedral, one of the finest Gothic edifices of Northern Germany, erected between 1211 and 1363, and restored at great cost, 1828–34. It is built entirely of freestone, is 362 feet long, and has two lofty towers. It contains numerous tombs and monuments, among which is that of Otto the Great and his empress. Among the other churches are the church of the Virgin, built in the eleventh century, and the French Reformed church, dating from the latter part of the seventeenth century. The town-hall, government-house, artillery barracks, and theatre, are among the chief of its other buildings. Magdeburg is the see of a bishop, and, as the capital of a province, is the seat of a number of important courts and offices. It has also numerous benevolent and educational institutions, among which are several hospitals and orphan asylums, a deaf-mute institution, ecclesiastical gymnasium, female high school, normal seminary, and schools for agriculture, commerce, surgery, &c.

Magdeburg is also one of the most important trading and manufacturing towns of Germany. From its position on the Elbe, and its extensive railway connection with all parts of Germany, it is an important entrepôt of trade for a great part of Germany. Steamboats ply regularly between Hamburg and Magdeburg; and by means of a canal connecting the Elbe with the Havel, it has direct water communication with Berlin and other places. The manufactures comprise woollen, linen, and cotton stuffs; gloves, lace, hats, tobacco, and earthenware. Magdeburg existed as a town as early as the eighth century. It has frequently suffered from sieges, especially in 1631, when it was taken and sacked by the imperialists under Tilly. It was taken by the French in 1806, and annexed to the then kingdom of Westphalia. In 1849 Magdeburg contained 50,996 inhabitants, besides 5185 military; the suburb of Neustadt, 10,023; and that of Sudenburg, 4284 inhabitants. In 1853 the total population of city and suburbs was 77,159. The government of Magdeburg is one of the three that compose the province of Saxony. It is divided into fifteen circles, and has an area of 4447 square miles, with, in 1852, a population of 714,268. Its soil is of great fertility, and is well cultivated.