KONIGSTEIN, a small city of the kingdom of Saxony,
in the bailiwick of Pirna and province of Meissen, situated
on the left bank of the Elbe, and containing 190 houses,
with 1450 inhabitants. It is in that part of the kingdom
commonly called Saxon Switzerland, and is remarkable for
the impregnable fortress adjoining to it. The mountain
castle overlooks the town, on a rock whose perpendicular
face towards the Elbe is about 900 feet. It includes, on the
top of the rock, within its walls, fields, gardens, meadows,
and a wood, and a well abounding with water, 900 feet
deep, so that sufficient provision for the garrison can be
grown within itself; but there are large storehouses on
the rock, for provisions, ammunition, and all necessaries;
amongst others, two great casks of wine, capable of con-
taining 1000 hogsheads. The casernes are bomb-proof,
and, from the nature of the rock, the castle can neither be
assailed by traverses nor by mines. In this fortress, the
jewels, money, curiosities, and archives of the crown have
been deposited in time of war, and were secure when the
capital and its palaces were occupied by Frederick of
Prussia, as well as at a more recent period, when Dres-
den was the head-quarters of the French army, and as-
sailed by the allied forces of Russia, Austria, Prussia,
and Sweden. The castle contains also the state-prison.
On the opposite side of the Elbe is the fortress of Lillien-
stein, on a sandy rock 1080 feet above the river. It is
now dilapidated, but was occupied by the French in
1813, who added to the works.