a town of North Germany, capital formerly of the duchy of Anhalt-Zerbst, now of a circle of its own name, in the united duchy of Anhalt-Dessau-Coethen, stands on the river Nuthe, an affluent of the Elbe, 11 miles N.W. of Dessau. It is a well built town, containing many public buildings, and the fortifications, which formerly surrounded it, have been converted into pleasant promenades. It was formerly the seat of an upper appeal court for the principalities of Anhalt and Schwartzburg, abolished in 1850. Among its public buildings are the old ducal castle, the town-hall, three churches, one of which, St Nicholas, recently restored, is one of the finest Gothic churches in North Germany; an excellent organ, a Roman Catholic chapel, and a Jewish synagogue. It has also a high school for boys and an upper school for girls, an orphan asylum, hospitals, and house of correction. The chief manufactures are gold and silver articles, earthenware, and tobacco. Important horse and cattle markets are also held here. A saline mineral spring was recently discovered here, and handsome baths have been erected. The Empress Catherine II. of Russia was a princess of Zerbst, but was not born here, as is frequently stated, but at Stettin, of which place her father was governor. Pop. (1853) including the populous suburb of Ankumh, 9979.