Brunswick (city, Germany)

Brunswick (city, Germany) or Braunschweig, city in north central Germany, in Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen), on the Oker River. It is a commercial and industrial center, with manufactures that include foodstuffs, beer, machinery, printed materials, motor vehicles, and metal goods.

With its narrow streets and high, gabled houses, the center of Brunswick resembles a medieval town. The fortifications that once surrounded this section were removed in 1797 and replaced with parks and promenades. Noteworthy religious buildings include the Cathedral of Saint Blasius, in the Romanesque style, completed in 1194; the Martinkirche (late 13th century); and the Katharinenkirche, completed in 1500. Among outstanding secular buildings are the Gewandhaus (13th century), the town hall (13th-15th century), and the former ducal palace. In Brunswick are the Collegium Carolinum, a famous school of higher learning founded in 1745, and several fine museums.

Probably founded in the 9th century, Brunswick received a charter in the 12th century and joined the Hanseatic League in the 13th century. Until 1935 it was the capital of the state of Brunswick. The city was badly damaged during World War II (1939-1945). Population (2005 estimate) 245,900.