Nestled in a bizarre rock landscape, the fortress towers high above the Elbe. The once impregnable weir provides guests with a unique combination of culture and nature all year round. The original royal castle later became a monastery, state fortress, place of court representation, state prison, art depot, prisoner of war camp, youth work yard and finally museum. More than 50 buildings, flowering gardens and the fortress forest guarantee an entertaining visit on an area of 13 soccer fields. Exhibitions, guided tours and an audio guide give an insight into 800 years of life on the Königstein.
The 1.7 km long panorama trail along the Wall offers fantastic views of the Saxon Switzerland National Park, the Eastern Ore Mountains and in the direction of Dresden.
Opening times
Summer opening hours: April 1 to November 1, 2015 daily 9 am to 6 pm
Winter opening hours: November 2, 2015 to March 24, 2016 daily 9 am to 5 pm
Admission until one hour before the fortress closes.
Closed 24 December / On 31 December the fortress closes at 3:30 pm.
Admission fees
Adults 12 Euro, reduced 9 Euro, family ticket 30 Euro, mini families 18 Euro
November to March: adults 10 Euro, reduced 7 Euro, family ticket 25 Euro, mini families 15 Euro
Extras/offers
audio guideguided tourscafeshopspecial exhibitions
Misc. extras
Historical gastronomy: Officers‘ Mess, adventure restaurant “In the Casemates”, historical pub “The Musketeer”, fortress bakery
Passenger lift (all year) and panorama lift (April to October)
Bicycle stands and luggage lockers at fortress entrance
Holiday flats in the Brunnenhaus (Well House)
Dogs permitted in the outdoor areas (not in the exhibitions)
Handicapped accessible
- handicapped accessible toilet
- limited handicapped accessible
Foreign language offers
Audio guide in English, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Czech
Audio guide for children in English and Czech
As of May 2015 audio guide to the exhibition IN LAPIDE REGIS in English and Czech
Guided tours in English, French, Czech
Leaflet with map of the fortress and circular tour route (English, French, Polish, Russian, Danish, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Hungarian)
Adventure app in English and Czech
Website in English, French, Polish, Russian and Czech
Educational offers
Join-in programme (more details under www.festung-koenigstein.de):
- printing with a historical printing press
- painting with a Camera Obscura
- sealing of the Boarder Charter
- When secret signs tell stories - stonemasons' marks made by yourself
- Detecting and excavating of archaelogical finds
- Playing like 100 years ago
- The salt in the soup - herbal salt made by yourself
- Put through the mangle - smoothing laundry like in our great-grandmother's time
