Was Königstein Fortress ever captured?

No, the fortress was never taken by force throughout its history.

What is the most notable feature of the site?

The well bored into the rock, over 150 metres deep, is among the most striking features, along with the many historic buildings preserved on the plateau.

How old is the fortress?

An earlier stronghold is documented as far back as 1233, but the fortress as it stands largely dates from work carried out from 1589 under Elector Christian I.

Where is Königstein Fortress located?

It is located in Königstein, in the Landkreis Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge, in Saxony.

Königstein Fortress

Königstein

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Where: Königstein

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Festung Königstein stands in Königstein (Landkreis Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge), in Saxony, Germany. The building is a listed Baudenkmal. Its opening hours and prices have not been verified at the source yet.

Königstein Fortress sits on an isolated rock plateau above the Elbe, in the Saxon Switzerland region. Built upon a medieval stronghold first recorded in 1233, it was turned from 1589 into Saxony's strongest fortification under Elector Christian I. More than fifty buildings survive on the site, some of them four centuries old, along with a well over 150 metres deep bored straight into the rock. Never taken by force in its history, the fortress served over the centuries as a garrison, a state prison and a refuge for state treasures.

Written from Königstein Fortress

What to know

The site covers a 9.5-hectare rock plateau, reached on foot via an ascent from the town of Königstein.
The visit takes in more than fifty historic buildings spread across the plateau, meaning a fair amount of outdoor walking.
A well over 150 metres deep, among the deepest in Europe, is one of the features on site.
The fortress is listed as a Kulturdenkmal in Saxony.
No opening hours, prices or accessibility details are given here, so these are worth checking beforehand.

Where this château is

Königstein · Landkreis Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge · Sachsen

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This châteauChâteaux within 40 km

Address

Königstein, Landkreis Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge

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Heritage status: Kulturdenkmal in Sachsen

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Frequently asked

Was Königstein Fortress ever captured?: No, the fortress was never taken by force throughout its history.
What is the most notable feature of the site?: The well bored into the rock, over 150 metres deep, is among the most striking features, along with the many historic buildings preserved on the plateau.
How old is the fortress?: An earlier stronghold is documented as far back as 1233, but the fortress as it stands largely dates from work carried out from 1589 under Elector Christian I.
Where is Königstein Fortress located?: It is located in Königstein, in the Landkreis Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge, in Saxony.