The city's average elevation is 762 meters above sea level. The municipality has a population of 8574 (May 2001) and a total area of 58,02 km².
First known settlers between 1100 BC and 800 BC were Illyrians mining copper in the hills near Kitzbühel.
Around 15 BC Roman Emperor Augustus occupied the Alps and proclaimed the province Noricum. After the fall of the western Roman Empire, Bajuvarians settled in the Kitzbühel region around 800 and started clearing forests.
In the 12th century the name Chizbuhel is mentioned for the first time in a document of the Chiemsee monastery. Chizzo relates to a bajuvarian clan, Bühel describes the location of the settlement upon a hill.
Kitzbühel became part of Upper Bavaria in 1255. Duke Louis II granted Kitzbühel 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 Bajuvarian 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 Kitzbühel became part of Tyrol again when Austrian Emperor Maximilian conquered Kitzbühel and Kufstein.
Maximilian took mortgage on Kitzbühel, and so at the end of 16th century it came under the rule of the Counts of Lamberg. On May 1 1840 Kitzbühel was given to the state of Austria in a ceremony.
The wars of the 18 and 19th 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 Peace 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, the citys trade and industry flourished. Also during World War 1 and World War 2 Kitzbühel was lucky to remain far from the areas of war.
Kitzbühel is one of Austrias best known winter sport resorts, situated between the Hahnenkamm (1712 m, annual world cup ski race) and the Kitzbühler Horn (1996 m).History
Tourism