Festung Kniepass Unken

Kniepass Fortress Unken
The Kniepaß Fortress, mentioned for the first time around 1350, lies on a small backslide knoll above the Saalach. This small blockade complex was somewhat the only accessible connecting path from the Reichenhall valley through the Pinzgau for many centuries. Here one could have easily refused unwanted trespassers and controlled the transport of goods. Nowadays, this little fortress complex, that has not been altered since the Thirty Year War, lies a little aside from the main roads leading through the Kniepaß ravine. However, one can easily reach it from the car park at the foot of the fortress and through a shady foot path.

Kniepass Fortress Unken
Through the gate tower, one enters the small fortress area surrounded by a massive stone wall. One can enjoy the wonderful view of the Unken valley and the Oberrain Castle from up here. The main building is located here, where the guard detail once lived. During the French fighting of 1800-1809, Tyrol and Pinzgau defenders occupied this fort. Later, this building served as a dwelling for forest workers. The last residents moved out in 1965 due to old age.

In 1988, the owner, the Salzburg state government, decided to use the fortress for museum purposes and thus refurbished it. The local museum association can now organize exhibitions here since 1991. The exhibition  of Felsritzbilder in the lower Saalachtal is exhibited since. It can still be visited in the coming years. While an additional exhibition room has been built in the meantime, we are now displaying alternating exhibitions of local artists since 1994.

Unken Kniepass Fortress