Garmisch-Partenkirchen (
Bavarian: ''Garmasch-Partakurch'') is a
''Landkreis'' (district) in
Bavaria
Bavaria, officially the Free State of Bavaria, is a States of Germany, state in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the list of German states by area, largest German state by land area, comprising approximately 1/5 of the total l ...
,
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
. It is bounded by (from the west and clockwise) the districts of
Ostallgäu
Ostallgäu is a ''Landkreis'' (district) in Swabia, Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the west and clockwise) the districts of Oberallgäu, Unterallgäu, Augsburg, Landsberg, Weilheim-Schongau and Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and by the ...
,
Weilheim-Schongau and
Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen, and by the
Austria
Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...
n state of
Tyrol.
History
In medieval times the alpine lands were owned by the
bishops of Freising and the abbots of
Ettal Abbey. In 1803, when the clerical states of Germany were dissolved, the region was acquired by Bavaria.
Geography
The district is located in the Bavarian
Alps
The Alps () are some of the highest and most extensive mountain ranges in Europe, stretching approximately across eight Alpine countries (from west to east): Monaco, France, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria and Slovenia.
...
and includes the highest mountain of Germany, the
Zugspitze
The Zugspitze ( , ; ), at above Normalhöhennull, sea level, is the highest peak of the Wetterstein Mountains and the highest mountain in Germany. It lies south of the town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Bavaria, and the Austria–Germany border ...
(2,962 m). The highest peaks are grouped along the Austrian border, where the mountain ridges of the Wettersteingebirge and the Karwendelgebirge rise. Between them the
Isar
The Isar () is a river in Austria and in Bavaria, Germany. Its source is in the Karwendel mountain range of the Alps. The Isar river enters Germany near Mittenwald and flows through Krün, Wallgau, Bad Tölz, Munich, and Landshut before reaching ...
river runs northwards. North of these ridges is a valley housing the tourist resort of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The valley together with the surrounding mountains is called the
Werdenfelser Land. Further north the ridges of the Ammergebirge and the Estergebirge rise, which are still over 2000 m high. In the northernmost parts of the district there is alpine uplands (about 600 m high). Here the
Staffelsee is located, a lake of 8 km
2.
Coat of arms
The coat of arms displays:
* a
lion
The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'', native to Sub-Saharan Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body (biology), body; a short, rounded head; round ears; and a dark, hairy tuft at the ...
with the head of a
griffin, being the symbol of
Steingaden Abbey
* a portrait of a moor, often used in European coats of arms (https://blackcentraleurope.com/sources/1000-1500/moors-on-crests/
* the white and blue checked pattern of Bavaria
Towns and municipalities
The district includes no towns. All places have the status of
municipalities
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality' ...
.
References
External links
Garmisch Partenkirchen, City Guide on Garmisch Partenkirchen Germany
Official website(German)
Regional news platform for the Landkreis Garmisch-Partenkirchen(German)
Zugspitze(German, English)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Garmisch-Partenkirchen (District)
Districts of Bavaria
Districts of Upper Bavaria