WORMS, an ancient city, in the province of Rheinhessen, in the grand-duchy of Hesse-Darmstadt, is situated in 49° 37' N. let., 8° 22' E. long., near the left bank of the Rhine, in a beautiful country, 23 miles S. from Mayence by railway, and has a population of about 9000 exclusive of the garrison. The city occupies the site of the Roman Borbetomagus, which subsequently took the name of Augusta Vangio num, from the Vangiones, in whose territory it was. The name Wormalia (from which the modern name is taken) was in use in the middle ages, corrupted according to D'Anville from Borbetomagus. After its destruction by the Vandals and Huns, it was rebuilt by the Franks about 475, and became the eeat of a count, and subsequently of the 'dukes of Franconia, who styled themselves Counts of Worms. It was for a time the residence of Charlemagne, who held in its vicinity those primitive legislative assemblies which, meeting in May, were called Mai Lager, or Champs de Mai. Some of the Frankish and Carlovingian kings also resided here. Several diets of the German empire were held at Worms, among which was that of 1521, at which Luther appeared before the emperor Charles V. Its industry, its commerce, and its great population (which in the time of the Hohen staufen amounted to 60,000, and even after the Thirty Years' War was still 80,000) made it rich and powerful ; but in the two next centuries its prosperity rapidly declined. In 1639 it was burnt by
order of Louis XIV., and only the fine old cathedral resisted the efforts made to destroy it. Since that time it has never recovered; some portions have been indeed rebuilt, but within the ample circuit of its decayed walls are large inclosures, some waste, some converted into vineyards and gardens, which were onto covered with populous streets and fine buildings. Since the beginning of the 19th century improve ment has set in, and the population is nearly double what it was in 1800. The most remarkable edifice is the venerable cathedral, which was founded in the Sth century, but not completed till 1110. It is a plain gothic building, with two towers at each end. The Leibfraueokirche, or Churoh of Our Lady, is also a floe building in the gothic style. Near it formerly stood a Capuchin convent, the garden of which is now a vineyard, famous for its wine called from it Liebfrauenmielch. Worms is the seat of the provincial tribunals and of the consistory : it has a gymnasium and several schools; and manufactories of sugar-of-lead and tobacco, several tanneries, and a good trade in corn, cattle, and wine.