Stolberg

Stolberg, a town of Germany, in the Prussian Rhine Province, situated on the Vichtbach, 7 m. E. of Aix-la-Chapelle, on the main line of railway to Cologne. Pop. (1905), 14,963. It contains two Protestant and two Roman Catholic churches, a castle occupying the site of one said to have been used by Charlemagne as a hunting seat. It is the centre of a very active and varied industry, exporting its produce to all parts of the world. The leading branch is metal-working, which is here carried on in important zinc, brass, and iron foundries, smeltingworks of various kinds, puddling and rolling works, and manufactories of needles, pins and other metal goods. The ore is mostly found in the mines around the town, but some is imported from a considerable distance. In or near the town there are also large chemical works, glass-works, a mirror-factory and various minor establishments. Extensive coal-mines in the neighbourhood provide the enormous supply of fuel demanded by the various industries. The industrial prosperity of the town was founded in the middle of the 17th century by French religious refugees, who introduced the art of brass-founding.