WIESBADEN, a town and watering-place in the Prussian province of Hesse-Nassau. Pop. (1933) 159,732. Wiesbaden is one of the oldest watering-places in Germany. The springs men tioned by Pliny as Fontes Matthiaci were known to the Romans, who fortified the place c. II B.C. The wall known as the Heiden mauer, was probably part of the fortifications built under Diocle tian. The name Wisibada ("meadow bath") appears in 83o. Under the Carolingian monarchs it was the site of a palace, and Otto I. gave it civic rights. In the nth century the town and district passed to the counts of Nassau, and in 1355 Wiesbaden became with Idstein capital of the county Nassau-Idstein. It suffered from the ravages of the Thirty Years' War and was de stroyed in 1644. In 1744 it became the seat of government of the
principality Nassau-Usingen, and was from 1815 to 1866 the capital of the duchy of Nassau, when it passed with that duchy to Prussia. It is situated under the south-western spurs of the Taunus range, 5 m. N. of Mainz, 3 m. from the Rhine (at Bie brich), and 25 m. W. of Frankfurt-on-Main by rail. Its prosperity is mainly due to its hot alkaline springs and mild climate, which have rendered it a winter as well as summer resort. There is a large trade in wine and small manufactures of surgical instru ments, artificial manures, furniture, cement and chocolate.