Königstein Fortress

Königstein Fortress towers majestically over the Elbe River, just 13 km from the Czech-Saxon border. In the early Middle Ages, this massive table mountain even belonged to the Kingdom of Bohemia. Spanning an area of 9.5 hectares, Königstein Fortress is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Saxony. Set amidst the bizarre landscape of Saxon Switzerland, it is an attractive destination for tourists. Two elevators and a nearby parking lot make it easy to “conquer” the fortress. On a rocky plateau 247 meters above the Elbe River, there are more than 50 different structures, witnesses to past centuries: these include, for example, the oldest preserved barracks in Germany (1589/90), the first garrison church in Saxony (1676), and the deepest well in Saxony, 152.5 meters deep. The 1.7-kilometer-long path along the fortress walls offers fascinating views of the Elbe Valley, Saxon Switzerland, and the foothills of the eastern part of the Ore Mountains. Allow at least two hours for a visit to Königstein Fortress. The fortress is accessible by almost all modes of transportation. A trip along the Elbe is particularly romantic. You can arrive by a historic paddle steamer operated by the Saxon Steamship Company. The fortress is well-equipped for Czech tourists. The website has been fully translated into Czech. You can obtain an information brochure, a map, and the “Königstein Fortress” guidebook in Czech. Audio guides in Czech are also popular.