Berchtesgaden was Hitler's retreat when he wasn't busy trying to conquer the world. His home and many of his henchmen were in this area. They were completely destroyed at the end of the war.
A note to anyone who remembers the General Walker Hotel that was run by the U.S. Army. The hotel, called the Platterhof during the Nazi days, was taken over by the Army after the war. It has been completely demolished now. In its place is the new parking lot for the buses that go up to the Eagle's Nest.Berchtesgaden
In Berchtesgaden, they have a saying; "He whom God loves, He
drops into this land !" He couldn't have picked a more
beautiful setting. The town is located in a peaceful setting,
surrounded by mountains, in the south east corner of Germany, adjacent
to the Austrian border. The spectacular Königssee is just a few minutes away, as is Hitler's
Eagle's Nest and the salt mine where you can take an interesting tour deep under a mountain.
Click on pictures to enlarge.
Left two: The main square in the center of
town. Right: A large mural on a wall in a covered shopping area.
Examples of the typical Bavarian style houses in
the area. Nearly all of them look like this.
The tallest mountain in the area is called the
Jenner. We took a cable car to the top, then walked from
the landing up to the summit. Left: Looking down on a
remote farmhouse. We could hear a lone cow bell clanging
in the distance. Middle two: Looking down on the
Königssee and the bobsled run adjacent to it. Right: Ron on the summit.
Left: A crucifixion display on a walkway
high above the town. Next: An overview of the
town. Second from right: The cathedral and palace
(to the right). Right: An interesting fountain in
town.
The church at Ramsau (left) and Maria Gern
(middle) are two of well known churches in the area.
Principally because of the ideal settings, they are the subjects
of many paintings, postcards, and other souvenirs.
Right: The Watzmann is the landmark mountain of
Berchtesgaden.
Here are some interesting sites on the World Wide Web concerning the subject of this page.