NEUCHATEL, or NEUFCHATEL, anciently Areoco mum, or Xovum Castrum, is *own of Switzerland, situat ed on the western side of a lake of the same name, and the capital of the principality of Neuchatel, belonging to the king of Prussia. The town stands on the decli vity of a hill on the banks of a torrent, called the Seyon, which rises in the Val de Ruz, and often occasions great devastations. The town itself is extremely irregular, but the houses are excellent, and the streets clean. The town-house is a splendid structure, having a pediment in front, supported by eight noble Ionic columns. Four female figures are sculptured on the pediment. The back front has a pediment supported by Doric pilasters, and the lower part is rustic work. The hospital is a large and neat building, bearing the inscription of Civis Pauperibus. Besides the hospital, and in front of the town-housc, is the Alaison des Orphelins, which is also an excellent building. The cathedral church, which is by no means elegant, was built in 1164, by Bertha, wife of count Ulrich, of Vinelz. It contains the sepulchral monument erected by Count Louis of Neuchatel to his family, which became extinct in his person in 1373. This monument, which is 15 feet high, contains the statues of nine counts and four countesses. In the centre of the space before the church, is the sepulchral stone of the reformer, William Farel. The Chateau, the residence of the ancient princes of Neuchatel, is near the cathe dral, and is now the scat of the public offices. The gra nary and the barracks are large buildings. The lodge belonging to the free masons, is a neat little building. In coming from Yverdun, we enter the town by a gate, where there is an old tower, and the appearance of old walls. In leaving the town to the north, there are many splendid houses belonging to individuals.
The town of Neuchatel has been under infinite obli gations to two public spirited individuals, Al. David Pury, and the late 'M. Pourtales. The fifst of these gentlemen, who had made an immense fortune in trade in England and Portugal, gave, between the years 177S and 1786, to his native town, about a million of livres.
He died at Lisbon in 1786, and left to Neuchatel all his fortune, to thc amount of four or five millions of livres, to be applied to the improvement of public instruction, to the erection of a town-house, an infirmary, and other public establishments, and to the embellishment of the public walks. His portrait is placed in one of the apart ments where the government assembles, and his bust in the new town-house. In 1807, NI. Pourtales, whose son, Count Pourtales,now inherits his fortune, lais talents, and his amiable dispositions, consecrated a sum of 600,000 livres to build a house of charity.
The promenades on the banks of the lake are Nery fine, and from various houses on the declivity of the hill, there are magnificent views of the western ridge of the Alps seen across the lake.
The lake of Neuchatel is 9 leagues long, and 2 broad between Neuchatel and Cudrefin. IL is about 400 feet deep, and its surface is 186 feet higher than that of thc lake of Geneva. According to Saussure, its absolute height above the sea is 1320 feet, and according to Tralles, 1340. The height of its level varies about 71 feet. The lake abounds with fish.
of Neuchatel and Vallengin contains The principality 4 towns, and 64 villages; and, in 1784, the population was 3t,576 subjects, and 9704 aliens. The productions of the territory are, red and white wine, fruits, corn, hemp, and flax. Its extent is from 11 to 12 leagues long, and 5 or 6 broad, and it is composed of 6 or 7 vallies. The town of Vallengin is about a league from Neucha tel. It stands in a high valley on the Jura, and the road to it extends along a steep and beautifully wooded glen, at the upper end of which is the village, with its old Chateau, (now a prison,) most beautifully situated on an eminence, having one of the turrets of its outer wall co vered with ivy. There are several saw-mills in the vil lage, ancl the whole appearance of it is singularly pic turesque. About a mile to the south of the village stands Bussy, the hospitable mansion of Count Pourtales. See the article LOCLE.