Untersberg

Untersberg
Untersberg from Salzburg
Elevation	1,972 m (6,470 ft)
Location
Location	Germany-Austria
Range	Alps
Coordinates	47°42′N 12°59′E
Climbing
First ascent	12th century

The Untersberg is a mountain massif of the Berchtesgaden Alps that straddles the border between Berchtesgaden, Germany and Salzburg, Austria.

The mountain is popular with tourists due to its proximity to the city of Salzburg: less than 16 km (10 mi) to the north and within easy reach by bus, for example Salzburg city bus 21 to Glanegg, which runs every 15 minutes on weekdays. Trails lead to the top, but most people use the cable car that lifts passengers over 1300m to the Geiereck peak.

The first recorded ascent was in the first half of the 12th century, by Eberwein, a member of the Augustinian monastery at Berchtesgaden.

The mountain lends its name to an 1829 opera, Der Untersberg, by Johann Nepomuk (1783–1865), Baron of Poissl, and has inspired a series of works by German artist Stephan Hess.

Peaks

• Berchtesgadener Hochthron: 1972 m
• Rauheck: 1892 m
• Gamsalpkopf: 1888 m
• Salzburger Hochthron: 1853 m
• Mitterberg: 1840 m
• Geiereck: 1805 m

Cable car

A cable car runs from the 'St Leonhard' station in the town of Gartenau to the station at the Geiereck peak. Constructed over a period of over two years, and opening in April 1961, the eight and a half minute journey lifts passengers from the base at 456m to an altitude of 1776m, transporting them a horizontal distance of almost 2.5 km during the ascent.

Legend

According to legend Emperor Frederick Barbarossa (of the Holy Roman Empire) is asleep inside Untersberg, taken care of by the "Untersberger Mandln", small dwarf-like creatures. His beard is said to be growing longer and longer around a round table and to have grown round two times. Myth says that when the beard has grown three times around the table the end of world has come. Every hundred years he awakes and when he sees the ravens still flying around the Untersberg he sleeps for another century. When Frederik leaves the mountain, the last great battle of humankind will be fought on the Walserfeld. This is a field at Wals, west of Salzburg. There is a similar legend for the Kyffhäuser Mountain in Thüringen. Other legends say that it is Karl der Große Charlemagne waiting inside the Untersberg

There are also legends about the cave system below the mountain. There is a lake in 930 meters depth. An expedition in August 2008 revealed that its lowest point had not yet been reached.

Gallery

• 

  Untersberg

• 

  View across the "Mittagsscharte", in the background on the left the "Salzburger Hochthron"

• 

  Geiereck, a peak of the Untersberg

• 

  Untersberg cable car station

• 

  Cable car to Untersberg mountain.

• 

  View of the Salzburg basin from the Untersberg mountain top. Note Salzburg Airport on the left and Salzburg old & new towns to the right

• 

  Ramblers atop the Untersberg mountain.

• 

  View from Untersberg on a cloudy day.

See also

• Salzburgerland
• Bavaria

External links

• untersberg.net
• Outlook from Untersberg
• Salzburg Tourist Office – salzburg city tourist board website.