KRONSTADT, kr5n'stiit, or CRONSTADT (Hungarian Brasso). A royal free town of Tran sylvania. Hungary, situated picturesquely at the foot of the Transylvanian Alps, at an altitude of nearly 1900 feet. It is a short distance from the Rumanian frontier (Map: Hungary. J 4). The inner town is surrounded by a part of the old fortifications and promenades, and is com manded by a citadel, erected in 1553 to ward off the attacks of the Wallachs. The other three sections of the city are not interesting. The most prominent ecclesiastical building is the four teenth-eentury Gothic Protestant church, known as the 'black church' on account of its smoke stained walls, the result of the great fire of 1689. It has a modern carved altar. a fine altar-piece. one of the largest organs in the Kingdom. and other interesting features. The noteworthy Church of Saint Bartholomew' is the oldest church in Kronstadt. The town hall dates from 1490. and was restored in 1770 in the baroque style. Not far from the town hall stands the
large Kaufhans. erected in 1545.
Kronstadt has the Honterus (Protestant) Gymnasium, with a museum of natural history and archaeology and a library founded in 1544: a seminary for teachers; a number of special schools; and a theatre. In commerce and manu facturing it stands first among the Transyl vanian towns. It manufactures cloth, leather and leather products. Portland cement, candles, and articles of wood. There are large banks. Population. in 1890. 30,739; in 1900, 31,689— Hungarians, WalInas (Rumans), and Germans, mostly Protestants. Kronstadt is said to have been colonized in the thirteenth century by the Teutonic Knights. It was destroyed by the Tatars and the Turks in the fifteenth century, and became in the sixteenth century the centre of Protestantism in Transylvania, Johannes Hon terns, the Apostle of Transylvania,' having preached here.