KLAUSENBURG, or Clausenburg (Hungarian, Kol- ozsvär ; Latin, Claudiopolis), a royal free town of Hungary, the capital of the county of Koloza, and also of the whole Transylvanian circle, is situated in a picturesque valley on the banks of the Little Szamos, and on the Hungarian eastern railway, 72 miles north-north-west of Hermannstadt, in 46° 44' 8" N. lat., 23° 34' 5Γ' E. long. Klausenburg is the seat of a Unitarian bishop, of the superintendent of the Calvinists for the Transylvanian circle, of a royal court of justice, of a chamber of commerce, and of the county administration, as also the headquarters of the honved (militia) and regular infantry regiments of the military district. Klausenburg consists of an inner town (quadrangular in form, and divided into the old and new towns) and five suburbs now united with it in consequence of the removal of the old walls. With the exception of the old quarter, Klausenburg is generally well laid out, and contains many broad and fine streets, several of which diverge at right angles from the principal square or market-place, where stands a fine old Roman Catholic church, often described as a cathedral (Gothic style), dedicated to St Michael, and founded by king Sigismond in the year 1414. Besides several other Roman Catholic, Calvinist, Lutheran, Unitarian, Greek Catholic, and Greek Orthodox churches, and a J ewish synagogue, Klausenburg comprises among its public edifices a national museum, county and town halls, a national theatre, several hospitals, a workhouse, and barracks. The educational establishments include the university (with four faculties, founded in 1872), the Unitarian college (with seminary), Calvinist and Roman Catholic upper gymnasia, training institutes, and many others. A special feature of Klausenburg ...is the large number of elegant private mansions belonging to the Transylvanian nobles who reside here during the winter months. The greater part of the town lies on the right bank of the river, while upon the other side is the so-called “Bridge Suburb” and the citadel. Klausenburg bears in general more the character of a seat of learning than of a business centre; but there are factories for the preparation of woollen and linen cloth, paper, tobacco, candles, and bone dust, as well as breweries, distilleries, oil mills, and beetroot sugar refineries; and furrying, and hat, cap, and boot making are largely carried on. The fairs are well attended, especially for the purchase of horses, and prepared skins, dressed furs, felt goods, delf, and crockery ware. The chief agricultural products of the neighbourhood are wheat, beetroot, and forage. On the more elevated portions of the communal lands are extensive vineyards and woods. At the end of 1880 the civil population amounted to 29,929 (with military it was 30,869); by far the greater majority were Magyars by nationality, the remainder being composed of Roumanians, Germans, Armenians, and Jews. Outside the town, upon the slope of the citadel hill, there is a Gipsy quarter.
Klausenburg is believed to occupy the site of a Roman settlement named Claudia, whence its modem Latin appellation of Claudiopolis. Colonized by Saxons in 1178, it then received its German name of Klausenburg from the old word Klause, signifying a “mountain pass.” In 1443 Matthias Corvinus, king of Hungary, was born here. Subsequent to the defeat of the Hungarians by the Turks at Mohâcs (1526), Transylvania came under the protection of the Porte, and owing to the trade from the East passing through the principality to Dantzic, the prosperity of Klausenburg much increased, between the years 1545 and 1570 large numbers of the Saxon population left the town in consequence of the introduction of Unitarian doctrines. In 1603 it fell into the hands of the usurper Moses Székely, but was soon regained by the imperialists under General Basta. In 1662 it was ineffectually besieged by the Transylvanian prince Michael Apaffi I., but two years later it came into his power. The burg or citadel was erected between 1715-23, during the reign of King Charles III. (as emperor, Charles VI.). In 1798 the town was to a great extent destroyed by fire. As capital of Transylvania and the seat of the Transylvanian diets, Klausenburg from 1830-48 became the centre of the national movement in the grand principality; and in December 1848 it was taken and garrisoned by the Hungarians under the Polish General Bern. After the conclusion of the war it was degraded from its position as capital of Transylvania, and subordinated to Nagyszeben (Hermannstadt), but in 1861 it was reinstated in its former rank. The official name is Kolozsvàr.
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