Words by Jeannine Williamson
Augustus the Strong, the 17th century King of Poland and Elector of Saxony, certainly knew how to throw parties when he presided over Königstein, in Germany. Not only did he commission an immense 250,000-litre wine barrel to ensure his bar never ran dry, but he measured the success of his social gatherings by weighing guests when they arrived and left. If they hadn’t put on weight they were blacklisted from future revelries.
You can marvel at a replica of the huge cask on a tour of Königstein, perched on a hilltop overlooking the River Elbe and one of Europe’s highest strongholds. Dating back to the 13th century, it was once an impregnable self-contained fortress designed to allow a 1,000-strong community to live self-sufficiently for up to four years. It is a literal high spot on a tour through Saxon Switzerland, the rugged area in Germany’s Sandstone Mountains that was named after its resemblance to the neighbouring alpine country.
The region is among many sights you’ll discover on a journey between the contrasting capitals of Prague in the Czech Republic and Berlin, where the towns and cities lining the banks of the River Elbe played a pivotal role in German history.