334 GEEMANY. 



the Gothic cliurcli of St. Mary, the Holstein Gate, and other buildings bear witness 

 to the wealth and power of ancient Liibeck, no less than to the artistic instincts 

 of its inhabitants. In onr own days Liibeck is once more increasing- in population. 

 It has ship-yards and factories, its ancient docks are crowded with shipping, 

 and even large vessels, which were formerly obliged to stojD at Travemunde (1,719 

 inhabitants), can now proceed up to the town. Most of the commerce is carried 

 on with Sweden and Russia.* 



Wismar (14,462 inhabitants) occupies in many respects a more favourable 

 position than Liibeck, for the tide rises 2 feet in its estuary, and the island of Pool 

 protects it against northerly winds. Vessels drawing more than 7 feet cannot, 

 however, pass the bar which closes the port. Wismar belonged, for more than a 

 century (1648 — 1763), to Sweden. It is the port of Schwerin (27,989 inhabitants), 

 the capital of Mecklenburg, picturesquely seated on the peninsulas of a lake, with 

 a magnificent castle occupying the site of an old fortress of the Wends. Canals 

 place Schwerin in communication with Wismar, Liibeck, and the Elbe, Near it 

 are Parchini (8,264 inhabitants), the birthplace of Moltke, and Ludtcigdust (6,005 

 inhabitants), the summer residence of the Grand Duke. Mikilinborg, an old 

 castle of the Obotrites, which gave a name to the whole countr}', has ceased to 

 exist since the middle of the fourteenth century, its site being occupied now by a 

 small village. 



Rostock (34,172 inhabitants) lies at the head of the estuary of the Warnow, 

 and vessels of over 300 tons burden cannot proceed beyond its outport of Warne- 

 miinde. It is the most animated seaside town of Mecklenburg, and exports the 

 corn received from Gmtrow (10,923 inhabitants), Teterow (5,247 inhabitants), and 

 other towns in the interior. Its merchant fleet more than suffices for the wants 

 of the port, and takes a considerable share in the carrying trade of other towns. 

 Bostock is a picturesque old place, the seat of a small university. Bliicher was 

 born there. Warnemunde is much frequented by bathers in summer, and so is the 

 Hcilige JDamni, to the west of it, and near the Grand Ducal summer residence of 

 Dobberan (3,827 inhabitants), 



Barth (6,030 inhabitants), on a lagoon to the east of the Regnitz, on the 

 frontier of Pomerania, is hardly inferior to its famous neighbour Stralsund 

 as regards the number of its merchant vessels. Strakund (27,765 inhabitants) 

 stands upon the " Gut " which separates Riigen from the mainland of Pomerania, 

 and is one of those fortresses which have been besieged most frequently. IJp to 

 1815 it remained in the possession of the Swedes. The ports of Grcifsivald (18,022 

 inhabitants), Wohjad (7,258 inhabitants), and Anldam (11,781 inhabitants) 

 succeed each other as we proceed towards the mouth of the Oder. Both Greifs- 

 wald and Anklam lie on navigable canals some distance from the sea, the port 

 of the former being at Eldcua. The university of Greifswald was endowed, 

 in 1634, with the domains of its abbey, now the seat of an agricultural academy. 



Some of the inland towns on the eastern slope of the plateau are of impor- 

 tance. In the basin of the Peene, which debouches at Anklam, are Malchin 

 * In 1878 Liibeck had 46 sea-going vessels, of 10,223 tons register. 



