Kufstein, Medieval fortress town in Tyrol, Austria
Kufstein sits along the Inn River between the Kaiser Mountains and the Bavarian Alps at an elevation of 504 meters. The town spreads across both riverbanks with the historic center and Geroldseck Fortress rising on a rocky hill above the old quarter.
Emperor Maximilian I captured the town in 1504 after centuries of Bavarian rule under the bishops of Regensburg. The fortress later served as a prison and military garrison during Habsburg rule.
Thetown'snamederivesfromOldBavarianrootsrelatedtotherockonwhichitsfortressstands.LocalbusinessesandshopsalongRömerhofgasseandObererStadtplatzfollowTyroleanarchitecturalstylewithpaintedfacadesandwoodentrimwork.
The town serves as a transport hub on the Lower Inn Valley Railway connecting Austria and Germany. Visitors can reach the historic center on foot from both riverbanks using several bridges.
The Tischofer Cave near town holds archaeological evidence of human habitation from more than 30,000 years ago. Excavations in the early 20th century revealed tools and remains from the Paleolithic period.
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