Berchtesgaden Alps | |
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The Hochkönig from the south
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Highest point | |
Peak | Hochkönig |
Elevation | 2,941 m (9,649 ft) |
Coordinates | 47°25′13″N 13°3′45″E / 47.42028°N 13.06250°ECoordinates: 47°25′13″N 13°3′45″E / 47.42028°N 13.06250°E |
Dimensions | |
Length | 45 km (28 mi) |
Area | 1,089.0 km2 (420.5 sq mi) |
Geography | |
Countries | Germany and Austria |
States | Bavaria and Salzburg |
Parent range |
Northern Limestone Alps Northern Salzburg Alps |
Geology | |
Age of rock | Triassic (Wetterstein limestone) / Ramsau dolomite, Dachstein limestone |
Type of rock | predominantly dolomite and limestone |
The Berchtesgaden Alps (German: Berchtesgadener Alpen) are a mountain range of the Northern Limestone Alps, named after the market town of Berchtesgaden located in the centre. 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).
While the highest mountain of the Berchtesgaden Alps is the Hochkönig (2,941 metres (9,649 ft)) located in the Austrian part, the best known peak is the Watzmann massif, the third-highest mountain of Germany at 2,713 metres (8,901 ft). 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.
The most important summits of the Berchtesgaden Alps are (groups in order of height):
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.