Königstein Fortress (Festung Königstein)
The Königstein Fortress is located in the rocky area of Saxon Switzerland (Sächsische Schweiz), 35 km away from Dresden. It soars above the hill Tafelberg 247 meters above the level of the Elbe River. In the past, the fortress had control over the river traffic from Bohemia. The fortress is a monument of the European fortification art. More than 50 military facilities occupy an area of 9.5 hectares.
The history of Königstein dates back almost 800 years. A fortress on the site was first mentioned in a royal charter of Wenceslas I, King of Bohemia in 1233. The first Latin name of the fortress “Lapis regis” (German: Königstein) is found in a document dated 1241.
In the early 15th century, the medieval fortress owned by the Kingdom of Bohemia came into possession of the Saxon rulers from the House of Wettin. In 1516, the Celestine monks established a monastery at the Königstein that existed until 1524. In 1563–1569, a well 152.5 meters deep was dug in the supporting rock and it played an important role in its history. 1589 saw the launch of the construction of a new strong fortress which was subsequently upgraded on a regular basis to meet the demands of the time. The Königstein was a safe haven for the Saxon rulers. No enemy dared to attack the impregnable citadel. Art treasures and the treasury were moved to the fortress. Located in a picturesque area, the Königstein was a favorite destination for country trips among the Saxon court members.
Peter I first visited the Königstein during his trip to Europe with the Grand Embassy. On his way to Vienna, the Tsar spent three days in Dresden, the capital of the Electorate of Saxony. By the break of day on June 4/14, 1698, the Tsar left Dresden in a carriage with a bed and headed to Königstein where he arrived at eight o’clock in the morning; but he only woke up at eleven o’clock. The Tsar showed interest in the military equipment of the fortress, and a few grenades were thrown down off the parapet at his request. The Tsar’s attention was also attracted by the deep well and a huge barrel for storing wine in the cellar of the Magdalenenburg, a building constructed on the grounds of the fortress in 1621–1622 which was used to store food supplies in its basements. On the same day, Peter left for Prague.
The next time Peter I visited the Königstein on November 5/16–6/17, 1712 on his way from Carlsbad where he received water treatment. The Tsar spent overnight in the fortress and the next day viewed the fortifications and the fortress prison, fired all the guns, with an old copper cannon receiving his particular attention. He repeatedly examined the giant wine barrel and the deep well and measured its depth himself. During the lunch with the commandant, the Tsar drank to the health of Augustus II, Elector of Saxony, who was proclaimed King of Poland in 1697.
Between 1591 and 1922 the Königstein fortress served as a state prison of Saxony. Mikhail Bakunin, a Russian revolutionary and an ideological leader of anarchism, was one its prisoners. Both during the Franco–Prussian War (1870–1871) and during the World Wars I and II, the fortress served as a prisoner of war camp. On April 17, 1942, French General Henri Giraud (1879–1949) fled the camp by lowering himself on a rope down the 40-meters high cliff and later was able to get to France. Soviet soldiers and officers were also kept in the camp. In 1945, the garrison ceded control of the fortress to French prisoners of war. Later, the camp was evacuated by the U.S. special forces and the fortress was occupied by the Red Army who used it as a field hospital. Between 1949 and 1955, the fortress housed a young offender institution for politically unreliable young people and minor offenders.
On May 29, 1955, the Königstein fortress became a museum. The fortress has been systematically restored since 1990. Established in 1991 as a state-owned institution, the military and historical open air museum receives about 500 thousand visitors annually.
