Halle, a city of Prussian Saxony, known as Halle an der Saale, to distinguish it from other places of the same name in Germany, is situated on the right bank of the Saale and on several small islands of the river, 20 miles by rail N.W. of Leipzig. As an important railway centre, Halle has of late years rapidly increased in size, industry, and prosperity. Its famous university was founded in 1694 by Frederick I. of Prussia; after having been suppressed by Napoleon in 1806, and again in 1813, it was re-established in 1815 and incorporated with the university of Wittenberg, which had been dissolved during the war. At first a chief seat of the pietistic school of theology, Halle subsequently became the headquarters of the rationalistic and critical schools. In 1888 the university was attended by 1501 students, and had 116 professors and lecturers. The Francke Institutions rank amongst the most important establishments of the place (see FRANCKE). The noteworthy buildings and institutions embrace St Mary's church (1529-54); the Gothic church of St Manrice, dating from the 12th century, with fine wood-carvings and sculptures; the red tower 276 feet high, in the market-place, with a Roland statue in front of it; the town-hall; the remains of the Moritzburg, built in 1484, the ancient residence of the archbishops of Magdeburg; a deaconesses' home; a large penitentiary; the medical institutes and clinical hospitals; the agricultural institute; the university library (220,000 vols.); a provincial museum; an art collection; and an archaeological and other museums. The most important industrial product of Halle is salt, obtained from brine-springs within and near the town, which have been worked from before the 7th century, and still yield about 114,500 cwt. annually. The men employed at the salt-springs, and known as 'Halloren,' are a distinct race, supposed by some to be of Wendish and by others of Celtic descent, who have retained numerous ancient and characteristic peculiarities. The industries next in importance after the salt-manufacture are machine-making, sugar-refining, printing, brewing, the manufacture of mineral oil, and fruit cultivation. A very active trade is carried on in machines, raw sugar, mineral oil, grain, and flour. Halle is the birthplace of Handel the composer. Pop. (1871) 52,639; (1880) 71,484; (1885) 81,949; (1891) 101,401.
Halle, originally a border fortress against the Slavs, became in the 10th century an appanage of the Archbishop of Magdeburg, and by the 12th century was famous as a commercial city. In that and the 13th century Halle was a powerful member of the Hanseatic League, and successfully withstood a fierce siege by the Archbishop of Magdeburg in 1435, but finally fell into his hands in 1478. Terribly impoverished during the Thirty Years' War, it was incorporated with Brandenburg at the peace of Westphalia. See works by Von Hagen (1866-67), Voss (1874), and Schönemark (1886).