World History in the Bavarian Alps
The so-called “Eagle’s Nest” (Kehlsteinhaus) was built as a teahouse for Adolf Hitler on Kehlstein Moutain at an elevation of 6,017 ft / 1,834 m. Its unusual position made it a unique engineering feat. What few realize is that Hitler’s home (the Berghof) and southern headquarters – his second seat of power – were located on Obersalzberg, at the foot of the Eagle’s Nest mountain.
Due to its high elevation, the Eagle’s Nest generally can’t open until mid May. For about three weeks prior to opening the high mountain road leading up to the building (the road is perched on the cliff face) a team not only clears away snow, but checks the mountainside for loose stones and any other possible dangers. The road and building cannot be opened until the “all clear” is given. The exact opening date is not usually known until about 2 weeks prior to the expected opening and is subject to weather conditions. The Eagle’s Nest officially closes at the end of October but early snowfall sometimes forces an earlier closure.
Three-in-One Tour
Our four-hour educational tour emphasizes the historical significance of the whole mountain, not just the Eagle’s Nest teahouse. We show how Obersalzberg served as the cradle of the party and became a stage on which world history was enacted. In fact many of Hitler’s ideas and decisions that led to war and the holocaust can be traced back to this very idyllic mountainside.
Join us for a detailed, three-part historical account that includes the construction and use of the Eagle’s Nest, a driving and educational tour of the Obersalzberg area (the site of Hitler’s former residence and alpine redoubt but no longer standing) and a visit to a portion of the museum known as Dokumentation Obersalzberg, giving us access to the underground bunker system (this visit gives an idea of the monumental scale of the former headquarters compound in the Bavarian Alps).
