Steeped in myth and legend, Berchtesgaden and the surrounding countryside (the Berchtesgadener Land) is almost preternaturally beautiful. Framed by six formidable mountain ranges and home to Germany's second-highest mountain, the Watzmann (2713m), its dreamy, fir-lined valleys are filled with gurgling streams and peaceful Alpine villages. Alas, Berchtesgaden's history is also indelibly tainted by the Nazi period. The area is easily visited on a day trip from Salzburg.
Eagle's NestHISTORIC SITE
The Eagle's Nest is a mountaintop retreat built as a 50th-birthday gift for Hitler. It took some 3000 workers only two years to carve the precipitous 6km-long mountain road, cut a 124m-long tunnel and a brass-panelled lift through the rock, and build the lodge itself (now a restaurant). It can only be reached by special shuttle bus from the Kehlsteinhaus bus station. Avoid peak hours (10am to 1pm).
On clear days, views from the top are breathtaking. If you're not driving, bus 838 makes the trip to the shuttle bus stop from the Berchtesgaden Hauptbahnhof every half hour.
At the mountain station, you'll be asked to book a spot on a return bus. Allow at least two hours to get through lines, explore the lodge and the mountaintop, and perhaps have a bite to eat. Don't panic if you miss your bus – just go back to the mountain station kiosk and rebook.
Dokumentation ObersalzbergMUSEUM
In 1933 the quiet mountain village of Obersalzberg (3km from Berchtesgaden) became the second seat of Nazi power after Berlin, a dark period that’s given the full historical treatment at this excellent exhibit. It documents the forced takeover of the area, the construction of the compound and the daily life of the Nazi elite. All facets of Nazi terror are dealt with, including Hitler’s near-mythical appeal, his racial politics, the Resistance movement, foreign policy and the death camps.
A section of the underground bunker network is open for perusal. Half-hourly bus 838 from Berchtesgaden Hauptbahnhof will get you there.
A section of the underground bunker network is open for perusal. Half-hourly bus 838 from Berchtesgaden Hauptbahnhof will get you there.
KönigsseeLAKE
Crossing the serenely picturesque, emerald-green Königssee makes for some unforgettable memories and once-in-a-lifetime photo opportunities. Cradled by steep mountain walls some 5km south of Berchtesgaden, the Königssee is Germany’s highest lake (603m), with drinkably pure waters shimmering into fjordlike depths. Bus 841 makes the trip out here from the Berchtesgaden Hauptbahnhof roughly every hour.
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