DIEZ

diez, a town of germany, in the prussian province of hesse-nassau, romantically situated in the deep valley of the lahn, here crossed by an old bridge, 30 m. e. from coblenz on the railway to wetzlar. pop. 4500. it is overlooked by a former castle of the counts of nassau-dillenburg, now a prison. close by, on an eminence above the river, lies the castle of oranienstein, formerly a benedictine nunnery and now a cadet school, with beautiful gardens. there are a roman catholic and two evangelical churches. the new part of the town is well built and contains numerous pretty villa residences. in addition to extensive iron-works there are sawmills and tanneries. in the vicinity are fachingen, celebrated for its mineral waters, and the majestic castle of schaumburg belonging to the prince of waldeck-pyrmont.