Berchtesgaden and the Eagles' Nest

Munich to Berchtesgaden

The Kehlsteinhaus (Eagles' Nest) sits on a ridge atop the Kehlstein, a 1,834 m (6,017 ft) subpeak of the Hoher Göll that rises above the town of Berchtesgaden. It was commissioned by Martin Bormann in the summer of 1937. Paid for by the Nazi Party, it was completed in 13 months. Twelve workers died during its construction.

The Berghoff

In 1928, Hitler rented a small country house here, which he bought in 1933; until 1936 it was enlarged into the pompous „Berghoff" The Berghoff was damaged in a British air raid on the 25th of April, 1945 and set on fire by the Obersalberg SS a few days later. The US military government ordered the ruin to be blown up in 1952. The only fragment preserved today is the supporting wall at the southern slope. The Obersalzberg was not only Hitler's private country retreat, but also served as the second centre of power of the German Reich alongside the official capital Berlin. Hitler spent more than a third of his time in power here. Important political discussions and negotiations were conducted here and incisive decisions were made, which led to the catastrophes of the Second Word war and the holocaust, causing the death of millions.

On the way back to Munich, we stopped at the Hindenburglinde (also called Große Linde) is a mighty, solitary summer linden in Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden, district of Berchtesgadener Land, on the German Alpine Road (B 305), with an age of between 400 and 1,000 years and a natural monument.