LEIP'SIC (formerly Librk or Lipzk, said to mean the home of the linden or lime trees, from the Slavic Lip or Lipa, a lime-tree), a city of the kingdom of Saxeny, situated about 65 in. w.n.w. of Dresden, near the Prussian border, in a large and fertle plain. The Elster, the Pleisse, and the Parthe flow through or past the city, and unite about 3 in. below it. The inner or ancient city was formerly surrounded by walls, which have now disappeared, but it is still separated from the far more extensive suburbs (Friedrichs• stadt, etc.) by promenades planted with beautiful avenues of lime and chestnnt trees. Many of the streets of the inner city are narrow and crooked; those of the more modern part (which contains also a number of fine squares) are wide and well built. The sanitary state of the city has been much promoted by an extensive and costly system of sewers. The inner city is the principal seat of business and merchandise. The population in 1871 was 106,925; and in 1875, 127,387. • The vast majority are Prot estants, mostly belonging to the Lutheran church. Of the public buildings of Leipsic few are in any way remarkable. The two principal city churches, the Thomaskirche and the /Vico/aikireke; date from 1496 and 1525 respectively. The stately Rathhaus (town-ball) was built in 1556. Of the three castles which formerly existed, only one remains, the Pleissenburg. now used for government offices and barracks; the ditch has become a place for drill; and the tower is now an obesrvatory, The finest buildings in Leipsic are the museum, built 1856-58, and the new theater, one of the largest and handsomest in Germany. Near it are the main buildings of the university, which is, however, now equipped with spacious anatomical, physiological, and other laboratories in other parts of the town. The university owes its origin to the removal of a large number of German students from Prague to Leipsic in 1409, in consequence of disputes between the Bohemians and Germans. It has always maintained a high reputation .among the uni versities of Germany, and many distinguished names are connected with it. There are upward of 100 professors and 35 lecturers on the teaching staff; and the number of students, close on 3,000, iF.darger than at any other German university. The library con tains 300,000 Vols. and 2,500 MSS.; and the city library has 100,000 vols. and 2,000 MSS.
Leipsic is the center for the administration of a wide district; and in 1877 it has been made the seat of the supreme courts of justice for the Germau empire. The town has many educational institutions, including two gymnasia, several benevolent foundations, numerous scientific associations, and various institutions for the cultivation of the fine arts. In particular may be mentioned the conservatorium of music, which is reckoned one of the first in Europe. See CONSERVATOIRE.
The three annual fairs (held at Easter, Michaelmas, and the new year, and lasting from three to five weeks) add much to the importance of Leipsic, and render it, with the exception of Hamburg, the greatest scat of trade in Germany. The origin of these fairs
is traced back for more than 600 years. They are attended by Jews, Turks, Greeks, Armenians, Persians, and even (of late) by Chinese. The accession of Saxony, in 1833, to the German customs union (Zollverem), and the opening of railways, produced a great increase of the concourse and of the business at these fairs, which had previously begun to decline. Transactions to the extent of 70,000,000 balers (above X10,000,000 sterling) now take place at the Easter fair. The wool-market, which was instituted in 1826, and is held for three days in June, is much frequented.
Leipsic is the principal seat of the book-selling and publishing trade in Germany, and indeed, in this respect, ranks third among the cities of the world, coming immediately after London and Paris. Upwards of 300 houses arc engaged in the book,•trade. There were also, in 1871, 50 printing establishments. Here the German book-sellers have founded a common exchange, and annual settlements of accounts take place at the , Easter fair. One thousand houses are then represented by their commissioners at Leip sic. In consequence of this activity, Leipsic has become the principal seat of type founding in Among its other manufactures are piano-fortes, scientific instru ments, )vax-cloths, oils, chemical products, perfumes, etc.
The city sprung up round a castle built by king Heinrich I., at the junction of the Pleisse and the Partite. It is first mentioned as a town in 1015, and in the latter part of the 12th c. had from 5,000 to 6,000 inhabitants. It gradually in ,cased in prosperity and importance. The famous Leipsic conference between Luther, •k, and Carlstadt, in 1519, greatly tended to the promotion of the reformation. Leipsic suffered greatly in the thirty years' war, in which it was five times besieged and taken, and again in the seven years' war; and although the commercial changes connected with the French revo lution at first affected it very favorably, yet it suffered not a little amidst the terrible struggles of the years 1812 and 1813, when it was alternately in possession of the French and of the allies.
The immediate neighborhood of Lcipsic has been the scene of two battles of great Importance in the history of Germany and of Europe—the battle of Leipsic, or of 13rei tenfeld (q.v.), on Sept. 7,1631; and the great battle of Leipsic—called the battleof nations, which continued for three days—from Oct. 16 to 18, 1813. The latter was one of the most bloody and decisive of those which effected the deliverance of Europe from French domination. The troops under Napoleon in this battle amounted to about 180,000 men, and those of the allies, commanded by prince Sclivvarzenberg, marshal Blucher, and Bernadotte, crown-prince of Sweden, to almost 300,000. The loss of the French was reckoned at about 38,000 killed and wounded, and 30,000 Prisoners; that of the allies to about 48,000. The victory of the allies was complete, in.c1 the French had to evacuate Leipsic.