Kufstein, town, western Austria. It lies along the Inn River, between two ranges, the Kaiser Mountains and the Bavarian Alps, near the Bavarian (German) border. First mentioned in 788, it was held by the bishops of Regensburg under the dukes of Bavaria in the 13th and 14th centuries and was chartered in 1393. It was taken by the Holy Roman emperor Maximilian I in 1504 and thereafter belonged to Austria, except during a Bavarian occupation (1703–04) and a period of Bavarian rule from 1805 to 1814.
The Geroldseck Fortress in the town, built in the early 13th century, was converted into a strong bastion by Maximilian. It now houses a local museum and the great “Heroes’ Organ” (Heldenorgel; 1931), named for the daily recitals played to honour the war dead. Kufstein is a popular summer resort and winter-sports centre and manufactures skis, glass, armatures, and metalware. It is also a market and service centre for the rural hinterland. Pop. (2006) 16,305.