WURZEN  , a

town of Germany in the kingdom of Saxony, on the Mulde, here crossed by two bridges, 151 M. by rail N.E. of Leipzig on the main line (via Riesa) to Dresden . Pop . (1905) 17,212 . It has a cathedral dating from the 12th century, a castle, at one time a residence of the bishops of Meissen and now utilized as law courts, several schools and an agricultural college . The industries comprise iron-founding, weaving and brewing, and the making of machinery, carpets, cigars, furniture, leather and paper . Wurzen was founded by the Sorbs, and was a town early in the I2th century, when Herwig, bishop of Meissen, founded a monastery here . In 1581 it passed to the elector of Saxony, and in the Thirty Years' War was sacked by the Swedes .