Description of the attraction
The Kufstein Fortress is an important landmark in the Austrian city of Kufstein and one of the most impressive medieval buildings in all of Tyrol. The fortress is located on a mountain at an altitude of 90 meters above the city on the banks of the Inn River.
The fortress was first mentioned in a document from 1205, where it is called Castrum Caofstein. At that time it was the property of the bishop of Regensburg. Later the fortress passed into the possession of the Dukes of Bavaria, and in 1415 it was well fortified by Louis VII. In 1504, the city of Kufstein was attacked by Emperor Maximilian I, who conquered the fortress. For almost 20 years, from 1504 to 1522, Maximilian was involved in strengthening the fortress. In particular, the Kaiserturm tower was built, the width of the walls of which was 7.5 meters! Over the years, the emperor turned the fortress into a completely impregnable bastion.
From 1703 to 1805, Kufstein was in the Bavarian possessions, and in 1814 the fortress became Austrian.
The fortress served as a prison for a number of political dissidents during the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Here is a list of some of the famous Hungarians imprisoned in the fortress: Ferenc Kazintsi, advocate of the Hungarian language and literature, 1799-1800; Countess Blanca Teleki, socialite and teacher, 1853-1856; Miklos Wesseleny, Hungarian nobleman 1785-1789, Laszlo Szabo, poet, 1795; Gyorgy Gaal, Protestant preacher 1850-1856; Mate Haubner, Bishop and many others.
Now the fortress houses the city museum of the city of Kufstein. Some of the premises are used for concerts and meetings.
The Kufstein Fortress is a popular tourist destination in Lower Tyrol.
