The Bavarian Alps

Germany is famous for a lot of things, its food and drink (pretzels, gingerbread, pork hock), its traditional dress (lederhosen and dirndl’s), its celebrations (Oktoberfest and Christmas Markets) but also for its natural and man made wonders!

 Southern Germany Alpine Region

In this blog post, I am focusing on the glorious ALPINE REGION of Germany! Think ‘Sound of Music’, cows grazing in meadows, spectacular valleys with waterfalls streaming off the side of the mountains in summer. There is so much to be in awe of when it comes to the German Bavarian Alps. The Bavarian Alps boarders the southern boarder of Germany and the northern boarder of Austria.

The Bavarian Alps (Bayerische Alpen) represents a collection of mountain ranges in Southern Germany. The alps were heavily influenced by the last ice age. Lakes and valleys were formed by massive glaciers that used to exist in this part of Germany.

Zugspitze Massif is the highest mountain in Germany with its peak standing 2,962 m above sea level!

 Fauna and Flora

The fauna and flora you could expect to see in Bavarian Alps are diverse and well protected in Germany. Generally, you will see that forests have a mix of different types of trees. You would see several Conifer types – Beech, Elm and Ash, as well as Dwarf Pine. Furthermore, hundreds of different species of Alpine flowers carpet the meadows.

Some of the different types of animals you may see in the Alpine region of Germany are Red Deer, Snow Hares, European Golden Eagle and Marmots (a small, herbivorous rodent).

Travelling through the German Alps

Living within the German Alps is one thing, but traversing this impressive landscape is entirely another. And much travelling would have been done by foot in past, where finding safe paths between villages was important. One might imagine these travelers would travel with their harmonica’s (a conveniently small and lightweight instrument) to bring some entertainment to their long journey.

Later, in the late 1800’s, railroads begun to appear in the alpine region. A famous railroad house architect, Friedrich Eisenlohr (1805-1854), in fact designed a Cuckoo Clock style of his own called Bahnhäusle (a train station style). Eisenlohr was responsible for creating buildings along the Rhine valley railway. He used inspiration from his railroad guard’s residence designs. He adorned the clock face with wild grape vines which were the material and detailing he used on the railroad houses. His design won the competition and became an instant hit!

Click on the images below to see our Harmonica's and Cuckoo Clock Collection!

Seasons in the Bavarian Alps

Every season has something to offer in the Bavarian Alps. In autumn, the forest is a sea of reds, oranges and yellows as the leaves start to turn. Covering the slopes of the mountains, the forests glow golden in the evening sun. Winter brings thick blankets of snow that cover the mountains. Ski lodges come alive as locals take to the slopes!

Spring is a time for festivals as the snow melts and the meadows smell crisp and sweet! You will spot fields of alpine wild flowers like the famous Edelweiss, covering the floor of valleys and meadows. In summer, waterfalls cascade down the sides of the mountains making for a spectacular sight!

The Bavarian Alps are a must see for anyone planning on visiting Germany!