OMUND, a town of Wiirtemberg, circle of Jaxt, for- • merly a free imperial town, is situated in a charming and fruitful valley on the Hems, here spanned by a beautiful bridge, 31 miles E.N.E. of Stuttgart. It is surrounded by old walls, flanked with towers, and has a considerable number of ancient buildings, among which are the church of the Holy Cross ; St John's church, which dates from the time of the Hohenstaufens; St Leonard's church, situated on a height near the town, partly hewn out of the rock and much frequented by pilgrims ; the chapels of St Joseph and God's Rest ; and the Dominican convent, founded in 1204, now a house of correction. Among the modern buildings are the gymnasium, the drawing and tradeschools, the Roman Catholic seminary, the town hall, the royal deaf-mute and blind institute, the blind asylum, the lunatic asylum, and two hospitals. The industries include the manufacture of gold, silver, copper, bronze, and brass wares, silk and part-silk cloths, tobacco, wax, glue, leather, furniture, bone•dust, and lucifer matches. There is also considerable trade in corn, hops, and fruit. Population in 1875, 12,838.

Graiind was surrounded by walls in the beginning of the 12th century by Duke Frederick the elder of Swabia. it received town rights from Frederick Ba•barossa, and after the dying out of the Hohenstaufens became a free imperial town. In 1546 it was besieged and taken by the Protestants, and in 1793 it was burned by the Swedes. It retained its independence till 1803, when it came into the possession of Wiirtemberg. Czniind is the birthplace of the painter Hans Baldung and of the architect Heinrich Arler. In the Middle Ages the population was about 10,000.