LUNEBURG, In'ne-lirK. An ancient town of the Province of Hanover. Germany. situated on the Ilmenau, a tributary of the Elbe. about Si) miles southeast of Hamburg. (Map: Prussia, 1) 2). It is mediceval in appearance, with its narrow streets, ancient buildings, and a portion of its walls. Its churches are of considerable architectural interest. notably that of Saint John (fourteenth century), purely Gothic in style with a lofty tower, that of Saint Nicholls (1409), and that of Saint Michael (13417-14181, with the tombs of the princes if Liineburg. The Rathans in the market-place consists f a num ber of buildings constructed from the thirteenth to the eighteenth century, and containing fine example, of ancient wood-carving and glass pa int ing.
The educational institutions include a gym nasium. a seminary for teachers. and a library of 31.000 volumes. including many incunabula. Ltinebin• has been noted since ancient times for the deposits of limestone, gypsum, and salt in its vicinity. It still produces the last two products
on a large scale. It has manufactures of chemi cal', fertilizers, carpets, iron ware-, etc. The trade is chiefly in agricultural preduet A. Popu lation. in 1890, 20,665; in 1900, 24.693, largely Protestants. The town gives its name to a large tract of moorland known as the Liineburger 1 leide.
Liineburg was a flourishing place in the :Middle Ages. it emancipated itself from the rule of the dukes of Liinehurg, (see 13nrxswto:, HOUSE or), became an influential member of the Hanseatic League, and at the time of the Reformation was one of the richest towns of North Germany. In the first half of the seventeenth century the city lost its independence, being brought under the sway of the dukes of Itrunswick-Liineburg. It subsequently shared the fortunes of Hanover.