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Published: September 29th 2009
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Eagle's Nest
The Eagle's Nest, perched high up in the Bavarian Alps, served as a retreat and an entertainment venue for guests. Breakfast was just like yesterday - eggs, meats and cheeses. Gotta love it. I’m getting some protein in my system before I have to get back to the all bread diet that Continental Europeans tend to favor.
I took another tour this morning, this time outside of Salzburg. I headed out with a group that was going on a salt mine tour while I was going to visit Obersalzberg and the Eagle’s Nest.
Obersalzberg is a mountainside area just above Berchtesgaden in the Bavarian region of Germany. The area became the symbolic home of the Nazi party when Hitler and several other party leaders built homes along the mountainside, along with SS barracks and a hotel.
Later, the Kehlsteinhaus (known as the Eagle’s Nest) was built atop a mountain peak for Hitler from Nazi party money. A gift for his 50th birthday, Hitler used the Eagle’s Nest as a retreat and to entertain visitors. He allegedly only went to the Eagle’s Nest about five times because of his vertigo.
He did, however, spend much time at his personal residence known as Berghof. Berghof was located farther down the mountain, closer to the other party leaders’ residences. Berghof,
Conference room
The Eagle's Nest's conference room is now an extension of the restaurant. The fireplace in the background was a gift from Mussolini. along with all the other buildings, have since been destroyed. Some were damaged during the war but most were demolished by the Bavarian government, which wanted no remains of the symbolic Nazi home. Today, where Hermann Göring’s house once stood, is an Intercontinental Hotel.
If it wasn’t for the pictures of its construction or knowing ahead of time about the Eagle’s Nest, I doubt I would have been able to tell it was a Nazi building. Perhaps the symbols were not prominently featured by its original occupants or more likely they were removed. Either way, the Eagle’s Nest is a fairly typical chalet which sits atop a magnificent peak.
The views from the top, which was not nearly as high as Mount Pilatus in Lucerne, were better as there was less cloud cover today. From the highest point I could see many surrounding mountains (some higher), Konigsee (the King’s Lake) and even (barely) Salzburg, 15 km away.
After walking around the inside of the chalet and all around the exterior it was time for me to head back down. I went in the original brass walled elevator and down a tunnel to get back to the bus.
View from the Eagle's Nest
The Eagle's Nest offered breathtaking views over the Bavarian Alps, Salzburg, Berchtesgaden and the King's Lake. The bus trip down, much like the one on the way up, wound through narrow paths that switchbacked up and down the mountainside. A bus could hardly fit on the slender road. Even the views from the bus were extraordinary as we were so close to the edge.
Finally, I rejoined my group at the visitors center as they were back from their salt mine tour.
After my trip up to Obersalzberg and the Eagle’s Nest, our full group went to the town of Berchtesgaden in the valley below. Berchtesgaden had a small town feel with numerous shops and cafes throughout its narrow streets. Most of the building had small paintings on them which added to their beauty. One featured monkeys performing the roles of humn beings. Why monkeys? Because many years ago, the owner couldn’t pay the artist so the artist came back and painted over the humans with monkeys. Another house had the all seeing eye overtop a pyramid, located just above its center window.
I hit up my kebab place again for dinner tonight. For some reason they weren’t serving at the hostel.
Now
The Sound of Music is playing in the background
The way down
A steep ascent and descent were all part of the experience. again. It’s good prep for my Sound of Music tour tomorrow.
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