Copenhagen

(ko-pn-hā'gen.) [ Dan. Kiobenshavn, “merchants' haven."] A fortified city and seaport of N. Europe, C. of Denmark, situate partly on the E. side of the island of Zealand in the Sound, and partly on the adjoining island of Amak; Lat. 55° 41′ N., Lon. 12° 34′ E. Its harbor is excellent, with dry-docks and every facility for naval purposes, and is the station of the Danish fleet. The palaces of the nobility are, in general, splendid edifices ornamented in the Italian style of architecture. C. is the nucleus of a large and important foreign commerce, and has, besides, many considerable home manufactures. C., founded in 1168, has been frequently ravaged by terrible fires; it suffered also from bombardment by the British fleet in 1807. Pop. (1878) 223,520. Coper'nican System, (-kan.) (Astron.) That system of the universe which was anciently taught by Aristarchus of Samos, in the 3d cent. B. c., and afterwards revived by Copernicus (q. v.). According to it, the sun is supposed to be placed in the centre, and all the other bodies to revolve round it in a particular order; which theory is now universally adopted under the name of the SOLAR SYSTEM, q. v. Copernicia, (ko-pür-nish'yah.) (Bot.) A gen. of palms inhabiting tropical America. The young leaves of the Carnaüba, or Wax-palm of Brazil, are coated with a wax harder than bees' -wax, which has been used for making candles. [s. 226]