SARAGOSSA, or ZARAGOSA, anciently Salduba and Cesar .Rugusta, an ancient and large city of Spain, and capital of Arragon. It is situated in a fertile plain, on the south bank of the Ebro, at the confluence of the rivers Galego and Huerva, the former of which flows through Arragon from the south, and the latter from the north, having its source in the Pyrenees. The Ebro, which is here navigable, flows between the city and its suburbs, and is crossed by two bridges, one of stone of seven arches, and the other of wood, which is reckoned one of the finest in Europe. The city is en circled with an earthen wall, and has twelve gates, some of which are old ones in the wall of Augustus. With the exception of one wide street called Calle Santa, the streets are narrow, crooked, and irregular. The houses, which are of brick, are generally old, though built with tolerable regularity.
Saragossa contains seventeen churches, and nearly forty convents. The principal public buildings are the cathedral, a large and wide Gothic building; the church of Nuestra Dona del Pelar, which is a superb building, with a fine Gothic altar of alabaster, and which was celebrated before the siege of 1308 for its valuable re lics; the leaning tower, resembling that of Pisa; the Lonja, or exchange; the hotel of the deputation; and the house of Pity. There is also here one university,
founded in 1474, which contained 2000 students; and there are two public libraries. Saragossa has neither commerce nor manufactures, and hence the city is re markable for its dulness. The new canal of Arragon,* which passes through the lands in its vicinity, though it has been of immense advantage to the agriculture of the country, has not yet contributed to excite a spirit of industry and enterprise among the inhabitants. Po pulation about 42,600. West Long. 48', North Lat. 41° 44'. A full account of the celebrated siege which this city sustained in 1808, will be found in our article BRITAIN. See Laborde's View of Spain for a full account of this city previous to the late revolution in Spain.