Berchtesgaden, Germany
BERCHTESGADEN
Population: 8,000. Country-Area code: +49-(0)8652.
Elevation: 530 m (1,740 ft).
License plate: BGL (short for Berchtesgadener Land).
After the founding of Salzburg in 696 A.D. came the first mention of many settlements in the area, including the forest in front of the snow-peaked Watzmann (Germany’s second-highest mountain at 2,712 m/8,900 ft).
In the 11th century, Lord Perther arrived and established a hunting cabin for himself that became known as Perther’s Gaden. From this moniker evolved the name, Berchtesgaden.
In 1102, Augustinian monks settled here and began building a monastery with adjoining church; look for the twin spires rising above town. They were determined to achieve this symbolic feat as they had first proclaimed Perther’s Gaden “…a terrifying forest constantly covered with ice and snow… a vast solitude inhabited by wild beasts and dragons,” according to David Harper, co-founder of Eagle’s Nest Historical Tours (see Tours below).
Frederick I (Barbarossa), Holy Roman Emperor and king of Germany from 1152-90, was delighted to hear of this fruitful monastery that neighbored the ever-annoying archbishops of Salzburg who boasted abundant deposits of salt. Barbarossa was quick to grant the monks extra rights to hunt, fish, forest, cultivate, and develop mines to excavate the “white gold” on their side of the border. Salt was the key resource in these parts that assured Berchtesgaden unusual power for such a small enclave, securing a political voice in the Reichstag (or parliament) and ultimately the right to become an independent principality ruled by prince-provosts. Even today salt remains king, accounting for a wealth of wellness centers and the official title of Kurgebiet, or “health-resort region.”
The following centuries brought social woes to the Catholic settlement: salt squabbles continued with Salzburg, the Thirty Years’ War raged across Europe, and Protestant ways became covertly trendy.
In 1803, Napoleon dashed in with his battle-hardened Grand Armée and seized Berchtesgaden in one swoop. The monastery was consequently disbanded and church administration secularized. In the years to follow, Berchtesgaden was tossed around like a political football. First it was annexed to Salzburg under Habsburg rule before finally being restored to Bavaria in 1810. This attracted the Bavarian royal family who in 1818 refashioned the former monastery to a palace in which to relish the majesty of summer vacation in the lower Alps. (Perhaps Ludwig II garnered his fantastic inspirations in this idyllic corner of the kingdom while hiking alpine trails as a boy?)
The 20th century produced two world wars. The first was fought in the distant trenches of France and Belgium, but the second came knocking at Perther’s front door. Adolf Hitler became chancellor of Germany in 1933 and decided to figuratively pitch his tent in the Gaden, calling it home. Hitler began the Second World War that Germany grossly lost. Thankfully, the Allied band of brothers safeguarded the hallowed Augustinian seat, securing its prosperity for centuries to come and your timely visit.
PURCHASE the full do-it-yourself Berchtesgaden, Obersalzberg & Hitler's Eagle's Nest destination guide, pdf file download or traditional-style guidebook (pictured below). See this guidebook on Amazon.com
Click thumbnail for larger image (but note the actual size of the guidebook is 5.06" x 7.81", not what's shown).
Brett Harriman (Photoshoped) is seen here holding the Berchtesgaden, Obersalzberg & Hitler's Eagle's Nest guidebook with the Eagle's Nest in the background. (2012 guide out soon) (See this guidebook on Amazon.com)
(See Comments at the bottom of the page and feel free to add one of your own!)
Suggested Itinerary: The big three blockbuster attractions in Berchtesgaden are the salt mines, Eagle’s Nest at Obersalzberg, and Königssee lake in the national park. If you start first thing in the morning (May-Oct), you can do all three in one day. If it’s *sunny I’d begin with the Nest, then delve into the mines and conclude my day cruisin’ Königssee. (Note that food is served at all three attractions, or simply roll out a picnic whenever, wherever.) *If it’s overcast in the morning, do the mines first then the Nest (with the hope that the weather has cleared by the time you climb the mountain). If I had to pick only two of the three attractions to visit, I’d first choose the Eagle’s Nest (at Obersalzberg because I’m a big-time WWII buff) then Königssee (because there are other salt mines but there’s only one Königssee).
In addition to the abovementioned attractions, consider a revitalizing visit to the Watzmann Therme for a vacation from your vacation (indulge in a swim, soak, Jacuzzi, full-body massage). With extra time, join the guided mountain hiking program offered free by the Nationalpark Berchtesgaden association or on your own trek the untamed and unforgettable Almbach Gorge. Swing by the Grassl Enzianbrennerei for free samples of liqueur and schnapps. If you’re visiting in winter, experience the bobsled thrill of a lifetime or the forbidding custom that is Krampus.
Complement your day with lunch or dinner at the Goldener Bär (daily 10:00-23:00) on the main pedestrian drag or for more money rocket up to the scenic outdoor Panorama restaurant on the rooftop of the newly built Hotel Edelweiss in view of the Berchtesgadener Alps and the Eagle’s Nest.
Chapter Orientation: town map (see below); Sights; Hiking; Events & Festivals; Good Sleeps; Obersalzberg; (Obersalzberg Today; Obersalzberg 1933-45; World War II Bunker; Eagle’s Nest).
Don't miss it!: I’d like to see you experience as many of the attractions written above for Suggested Itinerary as possible but if there is one sight you should not miss, it is surely the Eagle’s Nest. With extra time set off on my self-guided World War II bunker tour. Last of all, there is one element you literally can’t miss during your stay (unless bad weather prevails) and that is the emerald-green tinge accenting the local streams and rivers. This mesmerizing hue reflects the minerals (chiefly gypsum and limestone) washing in from the mountains.
Tourist Information, (www.berchtesgadener-land.info, tel. 08652/9670, June thru mid-Oct Mon-Fri 8:30-18:00, Sat 9:00-17:00, Sun 9:00-15:00—and mid-Oct thru May Mon-Fri 8:30-17:00, Sat 9:00-12:00). Berchtesgaden has one TI, located at Königsseer Strasse 2, which is opposite the train station, on the other side of the traffic circle. Stop in for your free town map or to book a tour.
Tours: If you’re interested in a personalized tour of the Eagle’s Nest, Obersalzberg, World War II bunker system, or The Sound of Music sites, there’s only one outfit to consider: Eagle’s Nest Historical Tours, (tel. 08652/64971, CC: VC, MC, AE). 
The owners, David and Christine Harper, are a lovely husband-and-wife team who hail from the USA but who have called Berchtesgaden home for more than 25 years. And I’m happy to boast that I have known them for more than one of those decades. I can personally say that the Harpers’ booming success is attributed to their congenial personalities, in-depth tours, and wealth of local knowledge. To inquire about their tours or anything historically on your mind, call or stop by their desk located within Berchtesgaden’s tourist information office. (Pictured: Christine at the tour desk.) The Eagle’s Nest Historical Tour (mid-May thru Oct, daily 13:15, duration 4hr, max 25 persons, book ahead, adult 50€, student or active-duty military 47€, youth 6-14yr 35€) includes all admission fees and a guided tour of the Eagle’s Nest, Obersalzberg, and into a WWII bunker. The Sound of Music tour (Mon-Sat 8:30, duration 4hr, max 8 persons, book ahead, adult 35€, youth 6-12yr 25€) revisits the sights in Salzburg made famous by this movie classic.
Emergency Tel. Numbers, valid Germany-wide; Police (Polizei) = 110; Fire dept. (Feuerwehr) or general emergency = 112; Ambulance = 19222.
Railers (www.bahn.de), Berchtesgaden is train-friendly but if you’re coming from the north you’ll have to transfer in Freilassing (German border town neighboring Salzburg). However, most of you wishing to visit Berchtesgaden will be coming from Salzburg, in which you have four options: train, bus, taxi, (pricey) tour. By train: If you’re holding a Eurail consecutive-day or dated Flexi/Select pass, you ride free on the train: 85-min trip (hrly with one change). By bus: If you’re not holding a discounted rail pass (and even if you are you may want to), forget the train and ride bus 840 from Salzburg to Berchtesgaden. It’s quicker and cheaper (see next entry, "Bus 840 to Berchtesgaden"). By taxi: From Salzburg’s main train station it will cost around 40€ to Berchtesgaden and 50€ to Obersalzberg. Pricey tour: If interested, tours are available to Berchtesgaden from Salzburg; ask TI or staff at your digs for info.
Berchtesgaden’s train station (GPS: N47 37.562 E12 59.949) was built in 1937 at a blinding pace in harmony with Third Reich improvements generated by a regime that had planned to dominate Europe. As the gateway to Hitler’s neighborhood, Berchtesgaden received numerous foreign dignitaries and therefore the train station was designed to impress. 
After its completion, Berchtesgaden—an alpine community with just a few thousand residents—had a train station that was larger than the one in Athens, the capital of Greece. When Hitler would steam into town, on his train curiously called “Amerika,” the mood bordered hysteria. Swastikas flapped from every window and flower-carrying children stood at the forefront of mesmerized crowds. Such was a typical scene in Nazi Germany when the Führer came to town. Today, things have quieted to a crawl; just 20 trains chug through the station daily and the only time local crowds get worked up is when Krampus whips through the market square. Note: To store your things for a short period, lockers (1-2€/24hr) at the train station are located on platform 1.
Outside the station, local buses head to all the sights and a queue of cabs wait patiently for business (by taxi it will cost about 11€ to Obersalzberg, 8€ to salt mines, 11€ to Königssee, 40€ to Salzburg, 220€ to Munich airport, .50¢ per luggage item, .50¢ to book a cab by phone: 08652/4041; the boss here is a nice guy named Ludwig who speaks good English and has been driving the Berchtesgaden beat for more than 30 years). Also outside the station’s main entrance is an Apotheke, or pharmacy (Mon-Fri 8:00-19:00, Sat 8:00-14:00), and across the traffic circle is the TI (see above). Left of the station’s front facade, steps climb through an arched passage (marked Zum Markt/Zentrum) to a walkway leading over the tracks and into town.
Bus 840 to Berchtesgaden (4.70€ one way, 50-min trip) departs typically Mon-Fri 8:15, 9:15, 10:15, 11:15, 13:05, 14:15, 15:15, 16:15, 17:15, 18:15, and Sat/Sun 9:15, 10:15, 11:15, 14:15, 16:15, 18:15 from opposite Salzburg’s main train station (out front on the street, or from *Mirabellplatz, Rathaus, and Mozartsteg a few minutes later. *Note that at Mirabellplatz there are three different pick-up points; you need to wait at the north end, i.e. the bus stop closest to main train station, but check schedule in advance for changes). If you’re planning on returning to Salzburg, purchase the day ticket (Tageskarte 9€) from the driver, which will cover all your bus transportation for the day, including to/fro Salzburg and Obersalzberg (bus departure area for Eagle’s Nest), as well as to the salt mines and Königssee lake. But if you are a small group of 4 or 5 persons, buy the Bayern-Ticket (explained above) directly from the driver of bus 840 to significantly increase savings. Note: Bus 840 terminates at Berchtesgaden’s train station, where buses depart roughly every 30 min to Obersalzberg and elsewhere around town. Lastly, those of you traveling in a small group of 4 or 5 persons and are planning on buying the Bayern-Ticket from the driver, note that during the week (Mon-Fri) the ticket is officially valid after 9:00 but is usually only enforced by the driver if the bus is nearing capacity. Thus, I suggest you play dumb and take a chance on catching the 8:15 bus to maximize your time in breathtaking Berchtesgaden. (For the record, the Bayern-Ticket is also valid Sat/Sun but there is neither an 8:15 bus nor an early time restriction on weekends.)
This map I hand-drew, thus it is far from faultless.
Drivers/Parking: For street parking pay at nearby automat and leave ticket on dashboard of your car, .50¢/hr, max 2hr, applicable Mon-Fri 10:00-17:00, and Sat 10:00-13:00 with parking dial, free all other times. There are plenty of parking possibilities throughout Berchtesgaden. Free spaces can be had on the west side of town between the gas station and traffic circle at the former Berchtesgadener Hof site. Note: If you spend the night in Berchtesgaden you’ll receive a Kurkarte, or guest card, with which you’re entitled to half-price parking around town, as well as at Obersalzberg and Königssee, and in the neighboring community of Ramsau.
The post office (Mon-Fri 9:00-12:30 & 14:00-17:30, Sat 9:30-12:30) is located at Franziskanerplatz 2 in the center of town behind the Hotel-Restaurant Watzmann.
A coin laundry (daily 7:30-21:00, 3€/wash, .50¢/dry 10 min, wash powder .50¢ available from reception desk of next-door Hotel Wittelsbach) is located on the main road running through the center of town, a few doors up from the Hotel-Restaurant Watzmann.
Click here for Sights, Hiking, and Events & Festivals in Berchtesgaden.
Click here for Accommodations Berchtesgaden.
Click here for the Eagle's Nest, do-it-yourself World War II bunker, and Obersalzberg 1933-45.
(This page was last updated March 2011.)
COMMENTS
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