A visit to the Eagle's Nest in Berchtesgaden County
Categories: Sightseeing, Cultural and History
The Kehlsteinhaus, nicknamed Eagle's Nest by a French diplomat, is located in a lofty height of 6,017 ft atop the Kehlstein Mountain in the Berchtesgardener County, Bavarian Alps, and is without doubt at the top of the must see
list for any visitor to this highly recommended holiday region.
The chalet-style building was perched over a sheer rock wall, opening stunning views of the unique alpine world. Commissioned by Reichsleiter Martin Bormann as a fiftieth birthday present for National Socialist leader Adolf Hitler, the Kehlsteinhaus was later subsequently used by the Allies as a military command post until 1960, when it was handed back to the State of Bavaria. Nowadays the building is owned by a charitable trust, and serves as a restaurant. It is an internationally popular tourist destination, attracted by the historical significance of the Eagle's Nest
.
Through the stunning Alps to the Eagle's Nest
If you have time and enjoy a good hike, you can reach the mountain top in about two hours coming from Obersalzberg. That's also the starting point of the road leading up to the parking lot at the foot of the Eagle's Nest. This road is considered a feat of engineering. It was blasted out of solid rock in only 13 months time and is considered to be unique in this construction design. The great difference in elevation is achieved with only one switchback and crosses the steep northwest side of the Kehlstein Mountain twice. For safety reasons in 1952, the Eagle's Nest road was closed to public traffic and a special mountain bus service was put into operation. The road stretches on a length of around 4 miles, covers a height difference of nearly 3,000 ft and passes through 5 tunnels! At the parking lot you will walk through a 406 ft long marble-like stone tunnel, at which end you a luxurious brass elevator will transport you in just 41 seconds another 406 ft up to the Eagle's Nest.Guided tours and information about the Eagle's Nest
After the return of the Kehlsteinhaus or Eagle's Nest to German hands, an information center was built on the foot of the hill to remind the public of Hitler and his regime. Informal tours of the Kehlsteinhaus are offered by local guides to foreigners arriving at the lower elevator station. If you start your tour on a bus, a guide will give already give you information during your breathtaking ride up to the Kehlstein Mountain. Once you are at the Eagle's Nest, it's all about impressive views of the stunning Alps. On clear days you can enjoy views as far as 125 miles, so don't forget your camera! The restaurant offers typical Bavarian dishes and drinks, which you can also enjoy on the terrace.Find and book quality Germany Vacation Rentals and Holiday Apartments ...
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Location, Map, and Driving Directions
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Additional travel info
By car take the A8 and exit at Bad Reichenhall or at Salzburg Süd to Berchtesgaden and from there the Obersalzberg road to the Hintereck parking area at Obersalzberg.
Possible ways of reaching Kehlsteinhaus (Eagle's Nest) are also: RVO-Bus from Hintereck parking area to the Eagle's Nest parking area, or hike from Ofneralm up to the Eagle's Nest parking area (approx. 1½ to 2 hours), or hike from Scharitzkehl parking area to the Eagle's Nest parking area on a trail that offers beautiful panoramic views. (approx. 2 ½ to 3 hours)
Opening Hours
Every year throughout the winter the Eagle's nest is closed. Depending on the weather situation, the opening months are between May and October.
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About this Article
This travel guide has been written by Monika Petra.
In her own words: When children are born they receive certain gifts to put them to good use or not. In my cradle there must have been at least music and the curiosity for the world we live in. Luckily I could combine those gifts eventually. My live as a jazz vocalist guided me to see and experience many places in Germany and far beyond. As in my music I like to dive in the historical background of given facts, simply to understand the present. During my travel, my circles got wider and wider and since many years I am now living in Thailand, very interesting to say the least. I grew up in Paderborn, lived and studied Jazz in Cologne's Musikhochschule
and worked a while in Bayreuth and Kulmbach. My travels throughout Germany took me to all major cities and small towns. It was the people and local differences, be it language, food, traditions and customs, which made it a lot of fun. When finally the wall
came down, I was one of those in Berlin posing on the rests of it for the camera. Off course I took the first opportunity to rediscover the new
but old states of Germany and finally understood the impact the wall had on all Germans and in regards to the worst part in German history. Being a German
living abroad, I discovered in years what I value most about Germany. Rest assured it is a country of rich cultural background still alive today. I visit my home country regularly and stay in touch with my friends, even those back from school. Another thing I always felt passionate about is writing and sharing my experience and thoughts. The internet provides us all with a great opportunity to connect, tell stories, read and learn from others and grow as a global community.
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Browse Related Photos (Interactive Slideshow)
The pictures shown are part of our Live Like a German Travel Guide to Germany group on Flickr. If you have great Germany pictures please consider joining that group and sharing them on Flickr. If you tag them with berchtesgaden (and they got approved) they will also show up in the slide show above.
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