This quaint alpine village has seen millennia of history and was named after a pagan Goddess. From prehistory to celtic times, early medieval to the nazi rule, Berchtesgaden stayed a hotspot. As a town, it’s roots go back to 1102 AD, and it’s existence is deeply connected to the salt mines in this town that enriched the entire region, therefore passing hands from nobility and clergy until it joined Bavaria in 1810. On the foothills of the famous Watzmann mountain seen in “The Sound of Music”, it is no wonder that even the bavarian royalty chose it as one of their residences. Later on Adolf Hitler took interest as well, later building his mountain residence at Obersalzberg and making Berchtesgaden a nazi stronghold during the World War II.
This tour will give all the hindsight on these and many more details, stories and less known facts about a little alpine town that once had a hand in international affairs.
You will see: Market Square Market Street Town Hall Monkey Facade Mother and Child Fountain Deer House Gasthof Neuhaus Well Ducats Fountain Christmas Shooters Square View of the Schloss Berchtesgaden You will learn about: Ancestral importance of the salt mines Stone age inhabitants First historical records in 1102 About a pre-Christian Alpine Goddess named Perchta The Prince provosty of Berchtesgaden Emperor Barbarossa The 30 Years War First World War and the Republic of Weimar The nazis and the arrival of Hitler Hitler’s mentor Dietrich Eckart and his relation to Berchtesgaden Berchtesgaden Meeting of 1938 Obersalzberg and the building of the nazi headquarters Kehlsteinhaus, the Eagles Nest Berchtesgaden as a symbol of nazi power Allied bombardment and the survival of the city The american military base from ‘45 until ‘96 The transformation of Berchtesgaden into a National Park and an UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
You will make your own way to the meeting points
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