Küstrin Fortress-Bastion König

The origins of fortifications at this strategically important confluence of the Oder and Warta rivers date back to 1232. After Küstrin fell to Johann von Brandenburg-Küstrin in 1535 and was elevated to his residence, construction began on the castle (1535-1537), followed by the fortress. The initial earth ramparts (1537-1543) were replaced and expanded with massive masonry between 1553 and 1568 due to flood damage. Upon its completion in 1568, the fortress included, among others, the Bastion König. During the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), Küstrin came under Swedish administration in 1631, which continued the fortress's expansion, a task later taken over by Elector Frederick William. In the Seven Years' War (1758), the fortress withstood a Russian siege but was largely destroyed and burned down. In 1806, Küstrin was surrendered without a fight to Napoleonic troops, who further expanded the fortress until 1814. The 19th century saw another expansion to protect against improved artillery. Military use finally ceased in 1920, and parts of the fortress were demolished. Towards the end of World War II, in January 1945, Küstrin was again declared a fortress and almost completely destroyed during the battles for the city. After the war, further fortress structures were blown up and removed for material extraction. Since the 1990s, the facilities in the Old Town have been undergoing restoration.

The Küstrin Fortress-Bastion König is situated in Kostrzyn (formerly Küstrin) in the Lubusz Voivodeship (Lubuskie) in northwestern Poland, at an elevation of approximately 16 meters above sea level.

Today, the Küstrin Fortress-Bastion König is accessible to visitors and can be explored, offering insight into the former significance of the complex.

• Küstrin Fortress-Berlin Gate (Fortress), approx. 0.2 km away
• Küstrin Fortress-Hornwerk (Fortress), approx. 0.3 km away
• Küstrin Fortress-Bastion Brandenburg (Fortress), approx. 0.3 km away
• Küstrin Fortress-Bastion Philipp (Fortress), approx. 0.6 km away