CASTLES KUFSTEIN

Kufstein Fortress is a 13th-century stronghold dominating the landscape above the town of Kufstein in Tyrol. Originally documented in 1205, this strategic hillfort rises dramatically on an elongated dolomite rock and played a crucial defensive role between Bavaria and Tyrol for centuries. The fortress features the iconic Bürger Tower, which houses the world's largest open-air organ, and boasts a remarkable 60-meter deep well—the deepest in Tyrol. Today spanning 24,000 square meters, the fortress contains museums dedicated to local history and Tyrolean infantry, offering visitors insight into medieval military architecture and regional heritage alongside panoramic views of the surrounding alpine landscape.

Burg Thierberg is a half-ruin fortress in Tyrol, documented from 1285 when constructed by the Freundsbergers as an eastern stronghold in the Lower Inn Valley. At 721 meters altitude, the castle later passed to Bavarian and subsequently Habsburg control before declining in significance and being partially abandoned from the 15th century. Today, the renovated chapel within the complex serves as a pilgrimage site, and visitors climbing the tower are rewarded with magnificent panoramic views across the Inn Valley toward Kufstein and the Kaiser Mountains.