Berchtesgadener Land

The Berchtesgadener Land is a district with a low population density.

Due to its pre-alpine and alpine landscapes, it is a popular tourist region.

• The

  two well-known cities of Bad Reichenhall and Freilassing are in the

  Berchtesgadener Land

  district

  .

• The region offers numerous

  sights

  and a large national park.

• The

  history of

  the Berchtesgadener Land is shaped by the affiliation to changing domains.

Bad Reichenhall - On July 1, 1972, as part of a regional reform in the Free State of Bavaria, the district of Berchtesgaden merged with parts of the district of Laufen and the independent city of Bad Reichenhall to form the new district of Berchtesgadener Land.

Both this reorganization and the name of the new district were highly controversial.

In particular, the representatives of the district of Laufen campaigned for the name "Bad Reichenhall district".

However, the Bavarian state government rejected this.

Berchtesgadener Land: location and geographical conditions

The district of Berchtesgadener Land is located in the extreme southeast of Bavaria and extends over an area of ​​almost 840 square kilometers.

It borders on neighboring Austria in the south, west and east.

In the north, the Berchtesgadener Land shares a border with the Traunstein district.

The location of the district is (pre-) alpine: in the south of the district are the Chiemgau Alps and the Berchtesgaden Alps.

In contrast, the northern part of the district is characterized by a hilly landscape.

The Berchtesgadener Land has numerous lakes, including the following:

• Koenigssee

• Pigeon lake

• Hintersee

• Bluntau lakes

The Watzmann represents the highest elevation in the Berchtesgadener Land district, its central peak reaches a height of 2,713 meters.

Berchtesgadener Land: inhabitants and cities

Around 106,000 people live in the Berchtesgadener Land district (as of 2019).

The population density is 126 inhabitants per square kilometer, which is below the average in Bavaria.

After the end of the Second World War, the influx of displaced persons led to a sharp increase in the population: while almost 60,000 people lived in the region before the start of the war, it was over 84,000 at the beginning of the 1950s.

At the turn of the millennium, the population of the district was around 100,000.

The following cities and municipalities are part of the Berchtesgadener Land district:

• Bad Reichenhall

• Bayerisch Gmain

• Schneizlreuth

• Berchtesgaden

• Bischofswiesen

• Marktschellenberg

• Ramsau near Berchtesgaden

• Schoenau upon Kings sea

• corner

• Schellenberger Forest

• Ainring

• Anger

• Freilassing

• To run

• Piding

• Saaldorf-Surheim

• Teisendorf

More than 18,000 people live in the district town of Bad Reichenhall.

With Freilassing (17,147 inhabitants) and Laufen (7,316 inhabitants) the district has two other cities.

Berchtesgadener Land: The story up to the 19th century

The area of ​​today's district of Berchtesgadener Land formed in earlier times the tribal duchy of Baiern and thus part of the East Franconian Empire, which existed from the 6th to the 12th century.

In the 13th century, the Berchtesgadener Land split up: For the most part, it came under the rule of the Prince Diocese of Salzburg, with Rupertiwinkel at the center. In addition, the Berchtesgaden monastery established itself and became the priesthood of Berchtesgaden in the middle of the 16th century a power similar to that of the Prince Diocese of Salzburg.

In addition, the city of Bad Reichenhall, including the surrounding area, grew into a largely independent region in the northwest of today's district.

These three parts of the country had different histories over many centuries.

At the beginning of the 19th century they were fully integrated into the Kingdom of Bavaria.

In the early 20th century until 1939, today's district of Berchtesgadener Land was divided into the following districts:

• Administrative region of Upper Bavaria

• District Office Berchtesgaden

• District Office Laufen

Berchtesgadener Land: The story to the present

On June 7, 1890, the town of Reichenhall received the right to use the addition of "Bad" from the Bavarian Prince Regent Luitpold.

Bad Reichenhall achieved the status of an independent city in 1929.

After the National Socialist seizure of power, the Obersalzberg prohibited area was established.

This was where Adolf Hitler's Berghof and other holiday homes belonging to well-known Nazi politicians were located.

In the course of a reform of German municipal law, with effect from January 1, 1939, the lower administrative districts were created as rural districts as they exist today.

Accordingly, the district offices of Berchtesgaden and Laufen became the districts of the same name.

The previously independent city of Bad Reichenhall lost this status and was integrated into the Berchtesgaden district in 1940.

At the end of World War II, what is now the Berchtesgadener Land district was occupied by US forces.

After the end of the war, they left it with the division of the region into the districts of Laufen and Berchtesgaden, and Bad Reichenhall again recognized the status of an independent city.

Berchtesgadener Land: Politics and Economy

The CSU party plays a dominant role in the politics of the district.

This party has been the district administrator since the founding of the Berchtesgadener Land district in its current form in 1972.

Bernhard Kern has held this office since the last local elections (2020).

The district council of the district has 60 members.

After the CSU, the Free Voters and the Greens are currently the strongest parliamentary groups.

The economy of the district has a high proportion of manufacturing (industry and craft) with 30 percent.

The best-known companies include:

• Milk values ​​Berchtesgadener Land

• Paul Reber confectionery

• Annahütte steel works

• Berchtesgadener Land salt mine

• Reichenhaller Saline

In addition, these branches of industry are of great importance for the Berchtesgadener Land:

• health

• Wholesale and retail

• tourism

Berchtesgadener Land: Important sights

The district of Berchtesgadener Land offers a variety of sights and the opportunity to pursue very different leisure activities.

Health-conscious holiday guests will find many wellness facilities in the district.

The most popular are the Watzmann thermal baths and the Rupertus thermal baths in Bad Reichenhall.

The world-famous spa town also offers these sights and leisure options:

• the old saltworks with the salt museum

• the city museum

• the parish and pilgrimage church of St. Pankraz

• the royal spa house with a royal spa garden

Visitors to Bad Reichenhall can also take the historic Predigtstuhlbahn to the top of the mountain of the same name.

This cable car was built in 1928 and is today the oldest large-cabin cable car still in operation.

The Kehlsteinhaus attracts many tourists interested in history every year.

It was erected in 1937 and 1938 as a representative Nazi building near Berchtesgaden below the Kehlstein summit.

Today the building houses a permanent exhibition on the history of the house as part of the Obersalzberg leadership area and a restaurant.

In the Royal Berchtesgaden Palace, tourists can view a large collection of historical porcelain from East Asia as well as products from the German porcelain manufacturers in Meißen, Nymphenburg and Franktal.

In addition, the deer museum with wildlife science exhibits is housed in this castle.

Berchtesgadener Land: Further sights

Railway fans of all ages visit the Freilassing locomotive world in the Berchtesgadener Land district.

This museum was built in a former depot.

It houses a large collection of locomotives and compartment cars from the last 150 years of history.

The Berchtesgaden National Park is the only alpine park of its kind in Germany.

It lies on the territory of the municipalities of Schönau and Ramsau.

The national park borders in large parts on Austria.

The Watzmann is located on the site of this unique nature park.

Hikers can see numerous alpine plants and animals here, including rare alpine inhabitants such as black grouse and capercaillie, mountain hares and marmots.

The House of the Mountains was built as a visitor center.

Overall, this national park offers hiking trails and footbridges of around 260 kilometers in length.

The Königssee lies in the middle of the Berchtesgaden National Park.

It is one of the most popular holiday and excursion destinations in Bavaria.

The mountain lake lies at an altitude of around 600 meters between the slopes of the Watzmann and the Hagengebirge.

Holiday and day guests take advantage of the excursion boat trip or use the network of paths to explore the area around the lake on foot or by bike.