View source for Kufstein

{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Kufstein
| native_name        = {{lang|bar|Kufstoa}}
| settlement_type    = [[Municipality (Austria)|Municipality]]
<!-- Images     -->| image_skyline      = Kufstein Festung Pendling-1.jpg
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = <small>Kufstein Fortress with Brandenberg Alps in the background</small>
| image_shield       = AUT Kufstein COA.svg
| shield_size        = 80x110px
| shield_link        = <!-- Maps           -->
| pushpin_map        = Austria
| pushpin_mapsize    = 270
| pushpin_map_caption = Location within Austria
| image_map          = Kufstein.png
| mapsize            = 260x260px
| map_alt            = 
| map_caption        = Location within Kufstein district
<!-- Location    -->| coordinates        = {{coord|47|35|00|N|12|10|00|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = [[Austria]]
| subdivision_type1  = [[States of Austria|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Tyrol (state)|Tyrol]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[District (Austria)|District]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Kufstein District|Kufstein]]
| parts_type         = 
| parts_style        = para
| p1                 = <!-- Leaders -->
| leader_title       = [[Burgomaster|Mayor]]
| leader_name        = Martin Krumschnabel
| leader_party       = {{Polparty|Austria| [[Independent politician|Independent]] }}
| leader_title1      = 
| leader_name1       = <!-- Statistics -->
| area_footnotes     = {{Austria population Wikidata|area_footnotes}}
| area_total_km2     = {{Austria population Wikidata|area_total_km2}}
| area_metro_km2     = 
| elevation_m        = 499
| elevation_max_m    = 
| elevation_min_m    = 
| population_as_of   = {{Austria population Wikidata|population_as_of}}
| population_footnotes = {{Austria population Wikidata|population_footnotes}}
| population_total   = {{Austria population Wikidata|population_total}}
| population_urban   = 
| population_metro   = 
| population_note    = 
| population_density_km2 = auto
| established_title  = 
| established_date   = 
| timezone           = [[Central European Time|CET]]
| timezone_DST       = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
| utc_offset         = +1
| utc_offset_DST     = +2
| registration_plate = [[Vehicle registration plates of Austria|KU]]
| postal_code_type   = [[List of postal codes in Austria|Postal code]]
| postal_code        = 6330-6333
| area_code_type     = [[Telephone numbers in Austria|Area code]]
| area_code          = 05372
| website            = {{Official URL}}
| footnotes          = 
}}
'''Kufstein''' ({{IPA|de|ˈkʊfʃtaɪn|-|De-Kufstein.ogg}}; {{langx|bar|label=[[Central Bavarian]]|Kufstoa}}) is a town in the [[Austria]]n state of [[Tyrol (state)|Tyrol]], the administrative seat of [[Kufstein District]]. With a population of about 20,000, it is the second largest Tyrolean town after the state capital [[Innsbruck]]. The greatest landmark is [[Kufstein Fortress]], first mentioned in the 13th century. The town was the place of origin of the Austrian noble family [[:de:Kuefstein|Kuefstein]].

==Geography==
[[File:Rudolf Reschreiter - Blick auf Kufstein mit der Festung.jpg|left|thumb|360x360px|''Blick auf Kufstein mit der Festung'' by [[Rudolf Reschreiter]], circa 1929]]
It is located in the [[Tyrolean Unterland]] region on the river [[Inn River|Inn]], at the confluence with its [[Weißache]] and [[Kaiserbach]] tributaries, near the border with [[Bavaria]], [[Germany]]. The municipal area stretches along the [[Lower Inn Valley]] between the [[Brandenberg Alps]] in the northwest and the [[Kaiser Mountains]] in the southeast. The remote [[Kaisertal]] until recently was the last settled valley in Austria without transport connections, prior to the completion of a tunnel road from Kufstein to neighbouring [[Ebbs]] in 2008. North of the town, the Inn river leaves the [[Northern Limestone Alps]] and enters the [[Bavarian Alpine Foreland]]. The town area comprises several small lakes, such as [[Pfrillsee]], [[Längsee (Tyrol)|Längsee]], and [[Hechtsee]]; [[Egelsee (Tyrol)|Egelsee]] and [[Maistaller Lacke]] are protected nature reserves.

The municipal arrangement comprises the [[cadastral community|cadastral communities]] of Kufstein, Morsbach and Thierberg; the town itself is divided into five quarters (Zentrum, Sparchen, Weissach, Endach, and Zell).  

==Economy==
Glass manufacturer [[Riedel (glass manufacturer)|Riedel]], haulage contractor  [[:de:LKW Walter|LKW Walter]], gunmaker [[Voere]], and textile mat manufacturer [[Kleen-Tex]] are based in Kufstein.

Kufstein is also home to the [[University of Applied Sciences Kufstein]] which specializes in providing business education and is a centre for international exchange.

==Transport==

Kufstein has two exits along the [[Inntal Autobahn|A12]] [[motorway]] ([[autobahn]]) from [[Innsbruck]] to [[Rosenheim]].

[[Kufstein railway station]], opened in 1876, forms part of the [[Lower Inn Valley railway]] section of the Brenner-axis from [[Munich]] to [[Verona]].

The [[Festungsbahn (Kufstein)|Festungsbahn]] is a [[funicular]] that links the city centre with the [[Kufstein Fortress]]

The nearest airports are [[Innsbruck Airport]], located {{convert|80|km|0|abbr=on}} south west, [[Salzburg Airport]], located {{convert|97|km|0|abbr=on}} north east and [[Munich Airport]], located {{convert|182|km|0|abbr=on}} north west of the town. 

{{Historical populations
|align=right
|1869|2777
|1880|3787
|1890|4067
|1900|4791
|1910|6717
|1923|7103
|1934|7551
|1939|8233
|1951|11268
|1961|11215
|1971|12913
|1981|13118
|1991|13484
|2001|15358
|2011|17388
|2015|20064
}}

==History==
Archaeological findings in the [[Tischofer Cave]] in Kaisertal denote a settlement of the area more than 30,000 years ago, the oldest traces of human habitation in Tyrol. Incorporated into the [[Roman Empire]] in 15 BC, the Inn river formed the border between the [[Roman Empire|Roman]] provinces of ''[[Raetia]]'' and ''[[Noricum]]''.

A church at ''Caofstein'' was first mentioned in a 788 deed issued by Bishop [[Arno of Salzburg]]. At that time, the Lower Inn Valley was part of the [[Duchy of Bavaria|Bavarian]] realm under the [[Agilolfings|Agilolfing]] duke [[Tassilo III, Duke of Bavaria|Tassilo III]], who was deposed by [[Charlemagne]] and replaced by Prefect [[Gerold, Prefect of Bavaria|Gerold]]. The [[Kufstein Fortress|Fortress]] is first documented in 1205 as a possession of the [[Bishops of Regensburg|Bishop of Regensburg]] and the [[Duchy of Bavaria|Duke of Bavaria]].
[[File:Herzog Erich der Ältere von Calenberg und Kaiser Maximilian vor der Veste Kufstein in Tirol by Johannes Christian Riepenhausen.jpg|thumb|left|Emperor Maximilian entering Kufstein, 1836 drawing]]
In the early 14th century, the [[House of Wittelsbach|Wittelsbach]] emperor [[Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor|Louis IV]], also Bavarian duke, vested the Kufstein citizens with rights of jurisdiction. Kufstein passed to the [[County of Tyrol]] in 1342, when it was a wedding gift to Countess [[Margaret, Countess of Tyrol|Margaret]] from her husband, Emperor Louis's son [[Louis V, Duke of Bavaria|Louis the Brandenburger]]. However, it fell back to Bavaria upon Margaret's death in 1369. Duke [[Stephen III, Duke of Bavaria|Stephen III of Bavaria]] granted Kufstein [[German town law|city status]] in 1393, due to its prominence as a trading and docking point on the Inn River.<ref>Chizzali. Tyrol: Impressions of Tyrol. (Innsbruck: Alpina Printers and Publishers), p. 44</ref> From 1415 onwards, his son and successor Duke [[Louis VII, Duke of Bavaria|Louis VII]] had the Fortress largely rebuilt and expanded.[[File:Siège de Kufstein par les insurgés tyroliens, 1809.jpg|thumb|The Siege of the [[Kufstein Fortress]] in 1809|left|230x230px]]The possession of the strategically important Kufstein border fortress remained disputed. In 1504, the [[House of Habsburg|Habsburg]] emperor [[Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor|Maximilian I]] took the opportunity of the [[War of the Succession of Landshut]] within the Bavarian Wittelsbach dynasty: his [[Archduchy of Austria|Austrian]] forces laid siege to the town, and at the [[Imperial Diet (Holy Roman Empire)|Imperial Diet]] in [[Cologne]] the next year, the emperor resolved upon the cession of the Kufstein territories to the Habsburg lands of Tyrol. Maximilian had the prominent ''Kaiserturm'' tower of the fortress erected, which was finished in 1522.
During the [[War of the Spanish Succession]], the castle was again besieged by Bavarian troops under Elector [[Maximilian II Emanuel, Elector of Bavaria|Maximilian II Emanuel]] in 1703, nevertheless the Austrian domains were confirmed by the [[Treaty of Ilbersheim]] the next year. After the [[War of the Third Coalition]], Kufstein once again was awarded to the newly established [[Kingdom of Bavaria]] in the 1805 [[Peace of Pressburg (1805)|Peace of Pressburg]] and the [[Tyrolean Rebellion]] of 1809 was crushed by the [[Bavarian Army]]. Finally in 1813/14 it passed to the [[Austrian Empire]].

In the 19th century, Kufstein Fortress was turned into a bastille for political prisoners, such as the [[Kingdom of Hungary (1526–1867)|Hungarian]] outlaw [[Sándor Rózsa]], who spent several years here before he was finally pardoned in 1868. The town's economic development was decisively promoted by the opening of the [[Lower Inn Valley Railway]] line in 1858.

In the late days of [[World War II]] the historic town centre suffered from [[Strategic bombing during World War II|Allied bombing]]. After the war, Kufstein was [[Allied-occupied Austria|occupied]] by French and US forces; it was the site of a French sector [[United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration]] [[Displaced Persons camp]].<ref name="Eisterer">{{cite book
  |last =Eisterer 
  |first =Klaus 
  |title =Französische Besatzungspolitik Tirol und Vorarlberg 1945/46-Innsbrucker Forschungen zur Zeitgeschichte Band 9
  |publisher = Haymon Verlag 
  |year =1991 
  |location =Innsbruck 
  |page =104 
  |language =de}}</ref>



== Sights ==
{{wide image|Kufstein Panorama.jpg|800px|align-cap=center|Panoramic view of Kufstein}}

[[File:Kufstein, Tirol, Austria.JPG|thumb|Architectural style typical for Tirol]]
[[File:Festung kufstein.jpg|thumb|right|Kufstein Fortress]]
[[File:KufsteinWasserbastei.jpg|thumb|right|Wasserbastion, a part of the medieval wall]]
[[File:Stadtpfarrkirche St. Vitus, Kufstein 2.JPG|thumb|right|Saint Vitus Church.]]
[[File:Kufstein Almabtrieb 2005.jpg|thumb|right|Annual ''[[Almabtrieb]]'' "Umzug" in Kufstein]]
Due to its long history, the city of Kufstein has various sights to offer:

*The Fortress (''Festung'') is built on a rock the height of which amounts to {{convert|90|m|abbr=off}}. Sometimes erroneously called  ''Schloss Garoldseck'', the fortress was mentioned as ''Castrum Caofstein'' in a document for the first time in 1205. It was enlarged several times. The most important tower, the round and impressive ''Kaiserturm'', was built from 1518 to 1522. Several times in its history, the fortress was used as a prison. Today it is famous for its large organ (''Heldenorgel'').
*The old city centre (''Altstadt'') with several picturesque lanes the most famous of which is ''Römerhofgasse''.
*The sightworthy City Hall (''Rathaus'') is on a square called ''Stadtplatz''.
*Saint Vitus Church is the oldest church of Kufstein. It was built from 1390 to 1420 in a typical [[gothic architecture|Gothic]] style. Later, it was converted into a [[baroque]] church from 1660 to 1661.
*A part of the medieval city wall is well preserved and worth a visit.  The sightworthy ''Wasserbastei'' is in the Northern part of the old city centre on the river [[Inn (river)|Inn]]. In the Southern part of the wall, a former gate called ''Auracher Löchl'' can be seen.

==International relations==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Austria}}

===Twin towns — Sister cities===
{{More citations needed section|date=July 2016}}
Kufstein is [[town twinning|twinned with]]
*{{flagicon|SUI}} [[Frauenfeld]], [[Switzerland]]
*{{flagicon|ITA}} [[Rovereto]], [[Italy]]
*{{flagicon|AUT}} [[Langenlois]], [[Austria]]

== Notable people ==

* [[Josef Madersperger]] (1768–1850), tailor and one of the inventors of the [[sewing machine]]
* [[Norbert Pfretzschner]] (1850–1927), an Austrian sculptor and author of books on hunting
* [[Adele Stürzl]] (1892–1944), communist and resistance fighter against National Socialism, lived locally.
* [[Max Reisch]] (1912–1985), Orient-researcher and writer
* [[Claus Josef Riedel]] (1925–2004), entrepreneur and glass designer
* [[Cornelius Rost]] (1919–1983), ''Wehrmacht'' officer, template for the novel ''As far as your feet will carry''
* [[Günter Pichler]] (born 1940), musician and professor
* [[Leslie H. Sabo Jr.]] (1948–1970), US-soldier, [[Medal of Honor]] recipient
* [[Armin Kircher]] (1966–2015), church musician and composer

=== Sport ===
* [[Christian Pravda]] (1927–1994), alpine skier, bronze and silver medallist at the [[1952 Winter Olympics]]
* [[Franz Schuler]] (born 1962), biathlete, 2nd at the [[Biathlon World Championships 1986]]
* [[Manfred Linzmaier]] (born 1962), footballer and team manager, played 390 games and 25 for [[Austria national football team|Austria]]
* [[Markus Kronthaler]] (1967–2006), mountaineer and climber
* [[Karl Wendlinger]] (born 1968), racecar and [[Formula One]] driver
* [[Claus Dalpiaz]] (born 1971), ice hockey goaltender
* [[Christian Planer]] (born 1975), sport shooter and bronze medallist at the [[2004 Summer Olympics]].
* [[Martin Wildauer]] (born 1987), an Austrian strongman competitor
* [[Nicole Billa]] (born 1996), a footballer who has played over 180 games and 88 for [[Austria women's national football team|Austria women]]

==In popular culture==
===Film and television===
Locations in and around Kufstein have been used for a number of films and television programmes: ''[[Destiny (1942 film)|Destiny]]'' (1942), ''[[Mountain Crystal]]'' (1949), ''[[Bluebeard (1951 film)|Bluebeard]]'' (1951), ''[[White Shadows (1951 film)|White Shadows]]'' (1951), ''Das letzte Aufgebot'' (1953), ''[[The Flying Classroom (1954 film)|The Flying Classroom]]'' (1954), ''Graf Porno und die liebesdurstigen Töchter'' (1969), ''[[Vanessa (1977 film)|Vanessa]]'' (1977), ''Sachrang'' (1978), TV documentary series ''Bilderbuch Deutschland'' (1996), ''Da wo das Glück beginnt'' (2006), ''Da wo es noch Treue gibt'' (2006), and ''Da wo die Freundschaft zahlt'' (2007). For further information see the ''Internet Movie Database''.

===Music===
The song ''{{ill|Kufsteinlied|de}}'' (also called ''Das Kufsteiner Lied''), originally composed by Karl Ganzer, has been covered by many musicians including [[Heino]] and [[Franzl Lang]].

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Kufstein}}
{{Wikivoyage}}
* {{Official website}} {{in lang|de}}
* [http://www.gpix.at/Gpix.at-Gigapixel_gpath,kufstein,pid,9112,type,gpix.html Kufstein Gigapixel Panorama (15.000 Megapixel)]
* [http://www.kufstein.org Kufstein webcam]
* [http://www.kufstein.com/winter/ViewPage.asp?PageID=384&Site=KUFSTEIN2_WINTER Kufstein Tourist Board]{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
* [http://www.heimat-kufstein.at/ www.heimat-kufstein.at: Historical pictures of Kufstein]

{{Cities and towns in Kufstein (district)}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Kufstein| ]]<!--please leave the empty space as standard-->
[[Category:Cities and towns in Kufstein District]]
[[Category:Kufstein District]]
[[Category:Populated places on the Inn (river)]]