BLANKENBERGHE

blankenberghe, a seaside watering-place on the north sea in the province of west flanders, belgium, 12 m. n.e. of ostend, and about 9 m. n.w. of bruges, with which it is connected by railway. it is more bracing than ostend, and has a fine parade over a mile in length. during the season, which extends from june to september, it receives a large number of visitors, probably over 60,000 altogether, from germany as well as from belgium. there is a small fishing port as well as a considerable fishing-fleet. two miles north of this place along the dunes is zeebrugge, the point at which the new ship-canal from bruges enters the north sea. fixed population (1904) 5925. blankenburg. (1) a town and health resort of germany, in the duchy of brunswick, at the n. foot of the harz mountains, 12 m. by rail s.w. from halberstadt. pop. (1901) 10,173. it has been in large part rebuilt since a fire in 1836, and possesses a castle, with various collections, a museum of antiquities, an old town hall and churches. there are pine-needle baths and a hospital for nervous diseases. gardening is a speciality. in the vicinity is a cliff or ridge of rock called teufelsmauer (devil's wall), from which fine views are obtained across the plain and into the deep gorges of the harz mountains. (2) another blankenburg, also a health-resort, is situated in schwarzburg-rudolstadt, thuringia, at the confluence of the rivers rinne and schwarza, and at the entrance of the schwarzatal. its environs are charming, and to the north of it, on an eminence, rise the fine ruins of the castle of greifenstein, built by the german king henry i., and from 1275 to 1583 the seat of a cadet branch of the counts of schwarzburg.