Festung Kufstein

Kufstein Fortress is a jewel in the Tyrolean lowlands and a landmark of the district capital Kufstein. Owned by the bishops of Regensburg, the fortress was first mentioned in documents in 1205. Subsequently, the property was shared with the Bavarian dukes.

From 1313, the castle was a Regensburg fiefdom of the Dukes of Bavaria. In 1415, Duke Ludwig the Bearded strengthened the fortifications. In 1504 Emperor Maximilian I besieged and conquered Kufstein and had the castle rebuilt and expanded into a fortress.

In the 17th century, the complex was extended. In 1703 and 1805 the Bavarians conquered the fortress, which was Austrian again from 1814.

It has been owned by the town of Kufstein since 1924. In 1996, the entire complex was leased to Top-City-Kufstein GmbH (now Festung Kufstein GmbH), which has been organising the RITTER-FEST here with the organiser Christian Domeier since 2009.