Kufstein Fortress

The Kufstein Fortress (German: Festung Kufstein) is the main landmark of Kufstein, a city of Tyrol in Austria. It is sometimes wrongly referred to as Geroldseck Fortress. It is located on a hill commanding Kufstein proper.

The fortress is linked to the city below by the Festungsbahn, a funicular railway.

The fortress is mentioned for the first time in a document from 1205, where it is called Castrum Caofstein. At the time it was a possession of the bishop of Regensburg. In 1415 it was reinforced by Louis VII, Duke of Bavaria.

In 1504 the city and the fortress were besieged and conquered by Emperor Maximilian I. From 1703 to 1805 it was a Bavarian possession, returning to Austria in 1814.

The fortress acted as prison for a number of political dissidents during the Austro-Hungarian empire. Its name is deeply embedded in Hungarian history. Here is a list of some prominent Hungarians imprisoned in the fortress:

Ferenc Kazinczy, advocate of Hungarian language and literature, 1799–1800; Countess Blanka Teleki, socialite and educator, 1853–1856; Klára Leövey, teacher; Sen. Miklós Wesselényi, a Hungarian nobleman 1785–1789; László Szentjóbi Szabó, poet, 1795; György Gaál, Protestant preacher 1850–1856; Sándor Rózsa, Hungary's "Robin Hood", revolutionary, 1859–1865; Máté Haubner, Evangelical bishop

The fortress now houses the City Museum of Kufstein. Part of it is also used for concerts and meetings.