DANZIG (Polish Gdansk), an important seaport of Prussia, and fortress of the first rank, in the province of Prussia, is situated on the left bank of the western branch of the Vistula, about 3i in. from its mouth in the Baltic. D. is an ancient, place, Laving been in existence at least as early as the 10th c., and its possession was long an object of ambition to the Danes, Swedes, Pomeranians, and Teutonic knights, the last of whom obtained and held it for a considerable period. In 1454, it became a free city under Poland, and remained so until 1793, when it fell under the dominion of Prussia, in whose hands, except during the years 1807-14, when it existed as a separate dukedom under Napoleonic rule, it has since continued. D. is surrounded by ramparts and wet (hitches, and is otherwise strongly fortified, and the garrison possesses the means of lay ing the surrounding country under water on three sides. The city is traversed by the Moth"' and Radaune, tributaries of the Vistula, the former of which is deep enough to admit vessels of 8 or 9 ft. draught up to the town. The principal port, however, is at Neufahrwasser, at the of the Vistula, which river cannot be entered by large vessels on account of the sand-bars it. Many of the streets of D. are narrow and crooked, but the principal street, intersecting it from e. to w., abounds in hue specimens of antique architecture, and has altogether a most picturesque appear.
ante. Among the most noteworthy buildings are the cathedral, a fine structure, coin meneed in 1343, but not finished until 1503, and possessed of a noble and widely cele brated picture of the "Last Judgment" (the painter of which is unknown), the church of St. Catharine, Trinity church, the fine old town-hall (which has lately been restored at a cost of 60,000 dialers), the exchange, etc. D. was at one time a prominent member of the Hanseatic league, and is still one of the chief commercial cities of northern Europe. To provide for its immense trade in grain, it has enormous granaries, capable of containing 500,000 quarters of corn, and built on an island forming one of the parts of the town where, in order to prevent fire, no person is permitted to live, nor lights allowed. In 1874, 123,223 tons (of 1000 kilos.) of wheat and other grain were exported, of which 83,470 tons went to Great Britain. The value of timber exported in 1873 was £972,360; and in 1874, £932,265; the largest quantity going to Great Britain. Besides grain and timber, there are some minor articles of export, as black beer, amber, spirits, etc. The annual value of the exports is about 20,000,000 marks (L1,000,000); of the imports, about 130,000,000 marks. In 1874, 1845 vessels entered, and 1826 cleared the harbor. The inhabitants of D., of whom the majority are Protestants, numbered in 1875, 97,935.