Königstein, Saxony

Königstein
Königstein
Coordinates
Administration
Country Germany
State Saxony
Admin. region Dresden
District Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge
Municipal assoc. Königstein/Sächs. Schweiz
Town subdivisions 2
Mayor Frieder Haase
Basic statistics
Area 26.93 km2 (10.40 sq mi)
Elevation 212 m  (696 ft)
Population 2,284 (31 December 2010)[1]
 - Density 85 /km2 (220 /sq mi)
Other information
Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Licence plate PIR
Postal code 01824
Area code 035021
Website www.koenigstein-sachsen.de

Königstein is a town in the Free State of Saxony in Germany. Königstein lies in the Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge District and has a population of 2,898 as of 2005. Near Königstein is the Festung Königstein fortress.

Contents

Geography

Königstein is located in the geographic region known as the Saxon Switzerland. The town lies in between Pirna and the Czech border at the confluence of the Biela with the Elbe. Königstein was damaged during the flooding of the Elbe in 2002.

History

The town of Königstein was first mentioned in 1379 as a settlement near the castle of Königstein. It was named after a King of Bohemia, but eventually passed to the Saxon Margraves of Meißen. However, Königstein still retains the double-tailed lion of Bohemia in its coat of arms. During World War II the prisoner-of-war camp for Allied officers, Oflag IV-B, was located in the castle.

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