Kitzbuhel is a medieval city in Tyrol, Austria, situated along the river Kitzbuhler Ache. It
is the administrative center of the district Kitzbuhel.
The first known settlers, who surfaced between 1100 BC and 800 BC were Illyrians
mining copper in the hills near Kitzbuhel.
Around 15 BC the Roman Emperor Augustus occupied the Alps and proclaimed the
province Noricum. After the fall of the western Roman Empire, Bavarii settled in the
Kitzbühel region around 800 and started clearing forests.
In the twelfth century the name Chizbuhel is mentioned for the first time in a
document of the Chiemsee monastery. Chizzo relates to a Bavarii clan, Bühel
describes the location of the settlement upon a hill.
Kitzbuhel became part of Upper Bavaria in 1255. Louis II, Duke of Bavaria granted
Kitzbuhel the rights of a city on June 6, 1271, and it was fortified with mighty city
walls. During the next centuries the city became a center of trade, grew steadily and
never was affected by wars. So the city walls were razed at the level of the first floor
and used for building new houses.
When Margarete Maultasch married Bavarii Duke Louis V the Brandenburger in
1342, Kitzbühel became part of Tyrol. After the Peace of Schärding (1369) it was
given back to Bavaria. On June 30, 1504 Kitzbuhel became part of Tyrol again when
Austrian Emperor Maximilian conquered Kitzbuhel and Kufstein.
Maximilian took mortgage on Kitzbühel, and so at the end of sixteenth century it came
under the rule of the Counts of Lamberg. On May 1, 1840 Kitzbuhel was given to the
state of Austria in a ceremony.
The wars of the 18. and nineteenth century didn't reach the city, whereas some
inhabitants participated in the Tyrolean rebellion against Napoleon. Kitzbühel once
more became part of Bavaria after the Treaty of Pressburg, but was reunited with
Tyrol after the fall of Napoleon, at the Congress of Vienna.
When Emperor Franz Joseph finally resolved the remaining constitutional
uncertainties, and furthermore railway construction of the Salzburg-Tiroler-Bahn was
finished in 1875, the city's trade and industry flourished. Also during World War I and
World War II Kitzbühel remained far from the areas of war.
Kitzbühel is one of Austria's best known and fanciest winter sport resorts, situated
between the mountains Hahnenkamm (5616 ft., 1712 m) and Kitzbühler Horn (6548
ft., 1996 m). The Hahnenkamm is home of the annual world cup ski races, including
the circuit's most important event, the downhill race on the famous Streif slope.
During summer time Kitzbühel also hosts an ATP tennis tournament on clay, the
Austrian Open.
The Kitzbüheler Alpenrallye is an annual festival of historic automobiles. It was first
held in 1988. The first trip of the United Buddy Bears was 2004 to Kitzbühel, following
by the first trip into the "big wide world" - when they went to Hong Kong and many
other metropolises on all five continents.
The city is also home to the historic Grand Hotel Kitzbühel, a private resort, training
and conference facility led by the worldwide management consulting firm McKinsey
& Company. Access to the Grand Hotel is generally limited to members and alumni
of the firm and their families.
A further sight is the 3S Aerial Tramway, the aerial tramway with the highest span in
the world.
