Circular tour

1) Red Bridge

Received its name from its red brickwork; built in 1792 as a simple wooden bridge (which could be dismantled in war time); a bascule bridge since 1886, which works like a see-saw.

2) Lower works

Built between 1755 and 1802 to improve the entrance front’s defences.

3) Flèche

Constructed between 1755 and 1756 as the first part of the Lower Works; for firing arrows out over the open area in front of the castle and to the sides.

4) Ravelin Gateway

Constructed between 1729 and 1736; a gateway building with casemates which defends the entrance; the gate guard’s duty post.
Ticket office

5) Tenail with Medusa-headed gateway

Built between 1729 and 1736; a gateway building equipped with drawbridge (bascule bridge since 1890); decorated with a Medusa‘s head; Medusa was a figure of Greek mythology; above it the coat of arms of the united electorate of Saxony and kingdom of Poland.

6) Trench with a wooden ramp

(which could be dismantled in war time) and drawbridge (bascule bridge since 1892)

7) Gate House

Construction started in 1589; over the steps leading up to the plateau; cellar with embrasures for shooting out, upper stories used for residential purposes; the portal was altered between 1729 and 1736; a relief of August the Strong was added in 1910; French Ramp defences; wooden gate; machicolation (a gap in the floor through which stones, molten lead, etc, could be thrown down on attackers) and other stone-throwing holes, rabbeted beams, a portcullis, an iron gateway and a caponier (a covered passage above the ditch, see 12 below).
Exhibition

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8) Commandant’s House

Part of the Gate House; where the commandant and his family lived.
Exhibition

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9) Raking Defences

Construction started in 1589; for raking the entrance area with gunfire; cellar held guns; upper storeys were residential.

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10) Georg’s Castle

This part of the fortress was called the Emperor’s Castle in the Middle Ages; conversion in 1619 to the John-George Castle; used first as a hunting lodge and later as a prison.
Exhibition

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11) Georg’s Battery

Built from 1669 to 1679 for the placement of guns which were aimed at the entrance front.

12) New Armoury

Put up above the French Ramp in 1631 as a banqueting hall; the caponier in the cellar has embrasures in order to defend the steps up into the castle; re-built as an armoury after the fire of 1816.
Exhibition (may - september)

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13) August Square

Laid out in 1815 in honour of the first king of Saxony, Frederick August.

14) Pump House

Built between 1735 and 1737; with a sandstone vaulted roof built to withstand being fired upon; a roof of granite and pounded cement resting on steel girders was introduced in 1881 to protect the well. The well itself: sunk between 1563 and 1569; 152.5 m deep; water hauled with a horse gin originally, later with a treadmill, from 1871 with a steam engine, from 1912 with an electric motor, and closed down in 1967, since 1998 operational again (in the winter holidays, from April to October and each weekend in Advent: water from the well are conveyed by help of the restored electric motor from 1912)
Exhibition
Information-office
Holiday flats

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15) Provisions Storehouse / Magdalen’s Castle

Constructed in the years 1621-1622 as a Renaissance stately home; served as accommodation for the court and as a storehouse for provisions; Barrel Cellar: between 1725 and 1818 this was home to the giant wine barrel commissioned by August the Strong which held 238,000 litres; it was converted between 1818 and 1819 to a bomb-proof provisions storehouse.
Documentation in the Barrel Cellar

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16) Garrison Church

This was originally a Romanesque castle chapel; consecrated in 1676 as the George Chapel and Saxon’s first garrison church; 2000 re-consecrated in 2000 after extensive restoration.
Garrison ChurchDocumentation of the history: originally Romanic castle chapel; first garrison church in Saxony (1676); formally reopened in 2000 following extensive reconstruction work.
Organ concerts "Sunday Music at the Garrison church": from May to October every first and third sunday in a month and on sundays in Advent at 3 p.m.

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17) Old Barracks

Ground floor built between 1589 and 1590; additional storey added to one side between 1715 and 1716.
Museum shop
Historic bar "Ye Old Musqueteer"
Public conveniences

18) Treasure House

Built from 1854 to 1855; served to hold the state treasures of Saxony.
Exhibition

19) Household garden

20) Main Guard House

This was where arrested members of the garrison were detained.

21) Commandant’s Stables

Built in 1828.
Exhibition

22) Commander’s garden

23) Personnel Barracks

Constructed in wood in 1899 to accommodate soldiers.

24) Parade Ground

Laid out in 1892.

25) Ammunition Loading Installation

This subterranean construction was built in the years 1889-1891 to produce the daily requirements for ammunition.
accessible with a tour guide

26) Artillery Shelter IX

A protective cavity for the artillerymen.

27) Horn and Tower

A rocky outcrop on the west side, on which an observation tower was built in 1601 (with a sundial and bells which ring on the hour).

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28) Barracks IV

Part of the system of casemates created between 1767 and 1832; used to accommodate soldiers, prisoners of war and other military prisoners, as well as for the defence of the fortress.

29) Hempels Corner

The rocky outcrop at the utmost westerly point of the fortress.

30) War Barracks III

Built from 1884 to 1885, designed to withstand any fire it might come under; used by the infantrymen from 1887.

31) People and Goods Lift

Constructed from 1967 to 1970; reconstructed in 2003; licensed for 4.5 t or 60 people; 5.50 m long, 2.20 m wide, 2.20 m high

32) Cran’s Plateau

Kranichplateau: 1589 so-called “crane” erected (a tread-wheel operated crane); later a goods lift driven by a steam engine or an electric motor; in use until a passenger and goods lift was built; 2004/05 construction of the panorama lift; licensed for 18 people
(April to October and each weekend in Advent operating)
Exhibition

33) Bakery Casemates

Proof of its use as a bakery from the eighteenth century; used until 1945.

34) War Barracks II

Constructed in 1880 as the artillery headquarters, designed to withstand any fire it might come under.

35) Officers Mess

Originally the butcher’s shop and flat; from 1895 the officers’ mess.

36) Old Armoury

Built in 1594 for the storage of weapons; the upper storey was altered in 1871 to provide cells for civilian prisoners.
Exhibition

37) Former Castle Entrance

Added to after 1589.

38) Zobels Corner

The rocky outcrop at the utmost southerly point of the fortress.

39) Peace-time Sick Bay

This infirmary was built in 1878 to provide medical care for the garrison.

40) Artillery Shed

A dry place for wooden gun carriages and artillery wagons.

41) War Barracks I

Built from 1889 to 1890, designed to withstand any fire it might come under; used by the artillerymen from 1890.

42) Ammunition Loading Installation

This subterranean construction was built in the years 1889-1891 to produce the daily requirements for ammunition.
accessible with a tour guide

43) Artillery Shelter VI

A protective cavity for the artillerymen.

44) Plague Casemate

Originally a crevice in the rock; converted after 1680 to a casemate in order to quarantine plague victims; no evidence for its use as such; converted at the end of the nineteenth century to an artillery observation post.

45) Watch Towers

These watch towers were built after 1600, along with the parapet.

46) Gunpowder Store

Constructed from 1889 to 1891, this ‘hall’ casemate was designed to withstand any fire it might come under; used only in war time for storing gunpowder.
accessible with a tour guide

47) Catholic Chapel

The remains of an artillery laboratory (1737) which were converted to a Catholic chapel in 1880; destroyed after 1945; only the foundation remains visible today.

48) Artillery Shelter V

A protective cavity for the artillerymen.

49) Abratzkys Chimney

A crevice used by the chimney-sweep Sebastian Abratzky in 1848 to illegally climb up the Königstein.

50) The Kings Nose

The rocky outcrop at the utmost easterly point of the fortress.

51) Point of Descent

of the French general Giraud, who succeeded in escaping from Königstein in 1942, it was then a prisoner of war camp.

52) Treasure Casemate

Built in 1804; new vaulting roof added in 1853; a hollow traverse constructed as the new entrance in 1884; from this year on it was Artillery Shelter III.
accessible with a tour guide

53) Lightning Oak Plateau

This used to be the location of a 300 year old oak which was often hit by lightning.
"Napoleon Kitchen" snack bar

54) Frederick’s Castle

Built as a watch tower in 1589; the ground floor originally housed cannons; the upper floor was used as a banqueting hall; conversion in 1731 to a Baroque pavilion with a mechanical table, "Tischlein-deck-dich" ("Table-Be-Set"); this rising table was reconstructed in 1999 and can now be hired for special occasions; banqueting hall also used as a registry’s office for official marriage ceremonies.

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55) Missile Store

Built in 1876 as a gunpowder store; given an earth covering in 1876; only used for the storage of unloaded shells after 1883.

56) Park Cistern

For collecting rainwater to use in daily chores.

57) War-time Sick Bay

Constructed from 1891 to 1893, this casemate was designed to withstand any fire it might come under; designed specifically for caring for the wounded in time of war.

58) Barracks B

Constructed in 1897 to accommodate married non-commissioned officers.

59) Artillery Shelter I

A protective cavity for the artillerymen.

60) Dungeon

Probably an observation tower in the original medieval castle.

61-68) Batteries 1-8

A battery here refers to a number of cannon which are mounted in emplacements which are protected from the front but open at the back.