The Berchtesgaden Alps are a mountain range of the Northern Limestone Alps, named after the market town of Berchtesgaden located in the centre. It is crossed by the Austria–Germany border: the central part belongs to the Berchtesgadener Land district of southeastern Bavaria, Germany, while the adjacent area in the north, east and south is part of the Austrian state of Salzburg (Salzburger Land).

Geography

Mountains and lakes

While the highest mountain of the Berchtesgaden Alps is the Hochkönig (2941 m) located in the Austrian part, the best known peak is the Watzmann massif, the third-highest mountain of Germany at 2713 m. The range also comprises the Obersalzberg slope east of Berchtesgaden, known for the former Berghof residence of Adolf Hitler. The picturesque heart is formed by the glacial Königssee lake with the famous St. Bartholomew's pilgrimage church and the smaller Obersee, both part of the Berchtesgaden National Park established in 1978. The range also comprises glaciers like the Blaueis as well as the Steinernes Meer high karst plateau.

Peaks

The most important summits of the Berchtesgaden Alps are (groups in order of height):

Boundaries and neighbouring groups

The Berchtesgaden Alps border on the following other mountain groups of the Alps: The Berchtesgaden Alps are included under this name in the generally accepted Alpine Club classification of the Eastern Alps (AVE) as mountain group no. 10 and counted as part of the Northern Limestone Alps.

Literature