Landau

Landau, a town of the Bavarian Palatinate, 11 miles W. of the Rhine and 17 SW. of Spire. Founded and made an imperial city in the 13th century, it has some interesting old churches, and played a prominent part in history as a fortress. During the Thirty Years' War it was taken eight times; in 1688 it was fortified by Vauban for Louis XIV., but surrendered four times during the war of the Austrian succession. In 1816 Bavaria became mistress of it; and in 1870-71 its fortifications were levelled to the ground. Pop. 11,395.—Landau, another town of Bavaria on the Isar, 72 miles NE. of Munich, has 3165 inhabitants.