Czech-Saxon Switzerland

Description of touristic attraction

Fortification Koenigstein

This is a unique early example of a fortified building in Europe. It has 40 meters high walls and sits on a mesa in the middle of the beautiful area of Saxon Switzerland. The first mentions of Koenigstein came in 1241 when it was a medieval castle belonging to the Czech kingdom. In the beginning of the 15th century Wetliners, a Saxon feudal family, begin its reconstruction. In 1516 the Celestine monks turned it into a monastery called Chvály zázraku Marie. Between 1563 and 1569 a well 152,5 meters deep was dug. In 1589 the elector Christin 1st kept the castle as a provincial fortification. Since that time the fortification was upgraded many times to deter enemy attack. In 1725 the King's biggest wine barrel (238.000 litres) was made and kept in the cellar of the castle Magdaléna till 1818. Since 1591 the fortification was a feared prison in Saxony. And during the German-French war (1870-1871), World War I and World War II it served as a concentration camp. On 29th May 1955 the fortification was opened as a museum. The area of 9.5 ha with 2.2kms of wall offers a fantastic view of the Elbe sandstones and East Středohoří.

Specials:
A historical bakery offers breads made according to old recipes.
Opening Times: April to October and weekdays and every weekend in Advent.

Basic information:

Location: Koenigstein

Opening hours: April to September, daily 09:00 - 20:00, October  09:00 - 18:00, November to March daily 09:00 - 17:00. On 24.12 its closed. On  31.12 the fortification is opened only till 15:30.

Admission fee: Adult 5 EUR. Children younger than 16 yrs, students, handicapped and unemployed ( proof  necessary ) 3EUR. Children younger than 6yrs no fee, family admission fee (parents and their own children younger than 16yrs) 12 EUR.
Contact: www.festung-koenigstein.de; info@festung-koenigstein.de

Více informací o zajímavosti

• Type: Fortresses and Castles
• Village: {ZAJIMAVOST_Village_NAZEV}
• Region: Saxon Switzerland