ELBERFELD, idWr-fselt. One of the most important manufacturing towns in Germany, situated on both sides of the Wupper. an affluent of the Rhine. in the Prussian Rhino Province, 16 miles east-northeast of Dusseldorf (Map: Ger many. B 2). The old parts of the town are somewhat poorly him 1. With irregular streets, while the more recently erected portion is well built, with numerous spacious and imposing building,. Among public edifices may be men tioned the Bath:ins and t he -1muse. Many of the public squares are adorned with hand some modern monuments. Elherfeld is one of the chief centre, of the textile industry in Ger many. It has establishments for the dyeing, weaving. and printing of cotton, silk, woolen, and mixed gelled:. and also manufactures of furniture, dyes, chemicals, iron and steel prod ucts, paper articles, carpets. and beer. of the textile industries of Elherfeld (late from the eighteenth century. The commerce of the town is extensive and there are a number of tinan eial institutions and consular agents from many foreign countries. Elbcrfeld is an im
portant railway venire and has seven stations. Electric street railway lines traverse the town and vonneet it with the adjoining town of Bar men, while a suspended electric road follows the bed of the Wupper front Bitten-111111.ot to Some born. Eighteen are lill'OlV11 across the river to tacilitate the immense traffic. Popula tion. in 1890. 125.899; 1900, 157.927. Elberfeld gl'CW up about a castle belonging to the family of El \wield. erected in the twelfth century. but was afterwards united wit't the Duchy of Berg. It first obtained municipal privileges in 1610. but its real industrial prosperity began only in the latter part of the eighteenth century thromA the introduction of and Turkey-red dyeing. In lSl5 it passed with Berg to Prussia.