Berchtesgaden Alps

Berchtesgaden Alps
Range
View from Kehlsteinhaus on Watzmann massif
Countries	Germany, Austria
States	Bavaria, Salzburg
Part of	Northern Limestone Alps
Highest point	Hochkönig
- elevation	2,941 m (9,649 ft)
- coordinates	47°25′14.9″N 13°3′47.4″E
Location of the Berchtesgaden Alps

The Berchtesgaden Alps (German: Berchtesgadener Alpen) are a mountain range of the Northern Limestone Alps, named after the market town of Berchtesgaden located in the centre. The central part belongs to the Berchtesgadener Land district of southeastern Bavaria, Germany, while the adjacent area in the north, east and south is part of the Austrian state of Salzburg (Salzburgerland).

Geography

The range is bounded by the Saalach river in the west and the Salzach in the east. Its northernmost peak is the Untersberg south of Salzburg. Surrounding ranges are:

Berchtesgaden Alps from 10,000 m

• the Salzkammergut Mountains to the east
• the Tennengebirge to the southeast
• the Salzburg Slate Alps to the south
• the Kitzbühel Alps to the southwest
• the Loferer and Leoganger Steinberge to the west
• the Chiemgau Alps to the northwest

Mountains and lakes

While the highest mountain of the Berchtesgaden Alps is the Hochkönig (2,941 metres (9,649 ft)) located in the Austrian part, the best known peak is the Watzmann massif, the third-highest mountain of Germany at 2,713 metres (8,901 ft). The range also comprises the Obersalzberg slope east of Berchtesgaden, notorious for the former Berghof domicile of Adolf Hitler. The picturesque heart is the glacial Königssee lake with the famous St. Bartholomew's pilgrimage church, part of the Berchtesgaden National Park established in 1978. The range also comprises glaciers like the Blaueis as well as the Steinernes Meer high karst plateau.

Other major peaks include:

Hochkalter, 2,607 m. Großer Hundstod, 2,593 m. Funtenseetauern, 2,578 m. Hocheisspitze, 2,523 m.

Hoher Göll, 2,522 m. Großes Teufelshorn, 2,361 m. Kahlersberg, 2,350 m. Stadelhorn, 2,286 m.

Literature

• Heinrich Bauregger: Berchtesgadener Land, Rother Wanderführer, Bergverlag Rother, Munich, ISBN 978-3-7633-4226-6
• Bernhard Kühnhauser: Berchtesgadener Alpen, Rother Alpenvereinsführer alpin, Bergverlag Rother, Munich, ISBN 978-3-7633-1127-9 appeared in October 08

External links

• Tours and summits in the Berchtesgaden Alps at steinmandl.de
• Berchtesgaden National Park
• Municipality of Berchtesgaden
• Berchtesgadener Land
• Berchtesgaden Alps
• Photo gallery
• Alpine climbing in the Berchtesgaden Alps
• Mountain tour in the Berchtesgaden Alps