CHRISTIANSTAD, a town in the south of Sweden in 56° 2' N. lat. and 14° 9' E., long., the capital of the laen of the same name, stands on a lake formed by the widening out of the Helge River, in a swampy situation, about ten miles from the shores of the Baltic. At the mouth of the river is the village of Ahus, the port of Christianstad. The town of Christianstad, which consists chiefly of wooden structures, contains a fine church, a high school, and an arsenal, and is the residence of the chief governor of the laen. The manufactures are leather, woollen goods, gloves, and tobacco; and there is some trade in corn. Christianstad was founded and strongly fortified in 1614 by Christian IV. of Denmark; in 1658 it was ceded to Sweden at the peace of Röskilde; in 1676 it was taken by Christian V.; but in 1678 it was again acquired by Sweden. Here began the revolution that was the means of establishing the power of Gustavus III. in Sweden. Population, 6599.