Berchtesgadener Alpen

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'').

Geography

Mountains and lakes

While the highest mountain of the Berchtesgaden Alps is the Hochkönig () located in the Austrian part, the best known peak is the Watzmann massif, the third-highest mountain of Germany at . 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):
* ''Hochkönig massif:'' Hochkönig (2,941 m), Hochseiler (2,793 m), Torsäule (2,587 m), Mandlwand
* ''Watzmann massif:'' Watzmann-Mittel- (2,713 m) and -Südspitze (2,712 m), Kleiner Watzmann (Watzmannfrau) (2,307 m), Watzmannkinder (up to 2,270 m)
* ''Steinernes Meer:'' Selbhorn (2,655 m), Schönfeldspitze (2,653 m), Brandhorn (2,609 m), Großer Hundstod (2,594 m), Funtenseetauern (2,579 m), Wildalmkirchl (2,578 m), Schareck (2,570 m), Breithorn (2,504 m), Persailhorn (2,347 m)
* ''Hochkalter Mountains:'' Hochkalter (2,607 m), Hocheisspitze (2,521 m), Seehorn (2,321 m)
* ''Göllstock:'' Hoher Göll (2,522 m), Hohes Brett (2,340 m), Jenner (1,874 m), Ahornbüchsenkopf (1,604 m)
* ''Hagen Mountains:'' Großes Teufelshorn (2,363 m), Kahlersberg (2,350 m), Schneibstein (2,276 m), Feuerpalven (1,741 m)
* '' Reiter Alpe:'' Stadelhorn (2,286 m), Großes Häuselhorn (2,284 m), Wagendrischelhorn (2,251 m), Großes Mühlsturzhorn (2,235 m), Großes Grundübelhorn (2,098 m), Schottmalhorn (2,045 m)
* ''Untersberg:'' Berchtesgaden Hochthron (1,973 m), Salzburg Hochthron (1,853 m)
* ''Lattengebirge'': Karkopf (1,738 m), Dreisesselberg (1,680 m), Predigtstuhl (1,618 m), Spechtenköpfe (1,285 m)

Boundaries and neighbouring groups

The Berchtesgaden Alps border on the following other mountain groups of the Alps:
* Salzkammergut Mountains to the east (''Osterhorn Group''), separated by the Salzburg Basin (city of Salzburg, Hallein)
* '' Tennen Mountains'' to the southeast, on the far side of the Salzach gap by the Lueg Pass
* ''Salzburg Slate Alps'' to the south, bounded by the line from Bischofshofen - Mühlbachtal (village of Mühlbach) – Dienten Saddle