Berchtesgaden Alps

The Berchtesgaden Alps stretch along the border between Germany’s Bavaria and Austria’s Salzburg region. Their highest point is the Hochkönig at 2,941 metres, while the best-known summit is the Watzmann massif at 2,713 metres. The range contains glaciers such as the Blaueis and the Steinernes Meer plateau of bare limestone. The glacial Königssee lake lies at the heart, joined by the smaller Obersee, both within the Berchtesgaden National Park created in 1978. The Obersalzberg slope east of Berchtesgaden holds the former Berghof residence of Adolf Hitler, a site now managed as a historical location. The Watzmann massif is Germany’s third-highest mountain and the Hochkönig is the highest in the range. The Steinernes Meer plateau offers high karst scenery with peaks such as Selbhorn and Schönfeldspitze. The Untersberg massif rises near Salzburg with summits reaching 1,973 metres. Visitors find marked paths through the national park leading to the pilgrimage church of St Bartholomew beside Königssee. The lake’s deep blue waters reflect the surrounding peaks, including the Watzmann’s jagged ridges. The Blaueis glacier and Steinernes Meer plateau provide more challenging routes for experienced walkers. The Obersalzberg area includes documentation centres about its 20th-century history. From Salzburg, the mountains appear as a dramatic skyline across the border.