THE MEDIEVAL FORTRESS KUFSTEIN, AUSTRIA - AN EXAMPLE FOR THE
RESTITUTION AND VISUALIZATION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE
Klaus Hanke", Michael Oberschneider
University of Innsbruck
Member of CIPA’s Executive Board
Technikerstrasse 13
A 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Klaus.Hanke@uibk.ac.at
Keywords: close range photogrammetry, heritage, documentation, visualization, virtual reality
ABSTRACT:
For further maintenance of the medieval fortress it seemed necessary in 1997 to start a serious renovation of the whole complex of
the various buildings. To record and document the situation before and compare it to the status after the renovation a
photogrammetric recording was initiated. We used some of the existing data of this documentation and complemented it - at the
beginning only for scientific interest - with own measurements to create a very detailed and photo textured 3D model of the fortress.
1. INTRODUCTION
The fortress of Kufstein (“Festung Kufstein”, see fig.1) is a
jewel in the lower region of Tyrol, Austria and a landmark of
the district capital of Kufstein. The fortress, owned by the
bishops of Regensburg, was documented for the first time in
1205. Afterwards the ownership was shared with the
Bavarian Dukes. From 1313 onwards Kufstein Castle
belonged to the Dukes of Bavaria. In 1415 Duke Ludwig "the
Bearded" enlarged the fortification. In 1504 the German
Emperor Maximilian I besieged and conquered Kufstein. He
then ordered the castle to be newly built and expanded it to
the size of a fortress. Once again in the 17th century the
complex was enlarged. In 1703 and 1805 the Bavarians
conquered the fortress which again came into Austrian
ownership in 1814. It has belonged to the city of Kufstein
since 1924
Some years ago it seemed necessary for further maintenance
of the medieval fortress to start a serious renovation of the
whole complex of the various buildings. To record and
document the situation before and maybe compare it to the
status after the renovation a photogrammetric recording was
initiated.
The fortress rock is about 100 meters above downtown
Kufstein and has an extent of about 300 x 100 meters.
In detail the task was
- an as-is documentation of the fortress in the sense of
conservation.
- production of plans and maps for scientific
investigation and restoration
- generation of plans for intensive utilisation in tourism
and planning in historical context
Fig. 1 Fortress of “Kufstein”, Tyrol, Austria (overview)
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