A find of shards from Bronze Age provide evidence of the earliest human activities on Königstein.
around 1000 BC
The Königstein in the Middle Ages
1233
In a document of King Wenzel I from Bohemia a “Burgrave Gebhard vom Stein” is mentioned – probably the oldest written mention of a castle on Königstein mountain. The area belonged to the Bohemian Kingdom at that time.
1241
1359
1406/ 1409
1459
With the Treaty of Eger, Königstein permanently becomes part of Saxony.
1516
The expansion into a fortress
1563
1588
1589
The fortress in the 17th century
1610
Execution of the fortress commander Wolf Friedrich Beon for embezzlement of fortress goods and cutting down the fortress forest
1619
1639
1676
The era of August the Strong
1698
1706
1725
1737
1756
The Königstein in Napoleonic Times
1806
1813
1815
The Königstein is now the only fortress remaining in Saxon possession and is therefore strengthened by the extension of some buildings.
Troubled times in the 19th century
1848
1849
1866
The fortress at the end of the 19th century
1870/1871
A camp for French prisoners of war is set up on Königstein for the first time in its history. The ordinary soldiers have to bring the earth to the fortress for the construction of the new battery ramparts.
1874
1913
The German Reichstag strucks the commander's position from the military budget and thereby abolishes the fortress status of Königstein.
From the two world wars
to the foundation of the museum
1914
1921
1922
1939
1942
1945
The crew hands over command to the French prisoners of war. The prison camp is later evacuated by an American special unit and the fortress is occupied by the Red Army, which sets up a hospital on the Königstein.
1949
1955
1957
1965
The fortress after the German reunification
1991
Königstein Fortress becomes the property of the Free State of Saxony and is managed by the State Castle Administration. A comprehensive utilization concept is developed.
1992
1997
2000
The fortress is separated from the association of state-owned castles and becomes an independent operating company of the Free State of Saxony.