Berchtesgaden

Berchtesgaden is a quiet medieval alpine village situated in Bavaria, south Germany, close to the Austrian border. The village is situated among the peaks of the Watzmann mountain, which, according to a local legend, were once an evil royal family turned into rocks by God as a punishment.







Berchtesgaden is only 25 km from Salzburg. I visited the village for just some hours in May 2007, during my visit to Austria and Switzerland.










Typical alpine houses can be found in Marktplatz, in the center of the village. At one end of Marktplatz, a 16th-century arcade leads to Schlossplatz where is situated the Stiftskirche (Abbey Chuch), from 1122, and some of the oldest constructions of the town.



Left: the façade decoration of a house of Marktplatz.







The National Park of Berchtesgaden is a region of exuberant beauty, 5 km south of the village. There is situated the Königsee lake with steep mountains on its shores.