Bavarian Alps

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Bavarian Alps
Bayerische Alpen.JPG
View of the Mangfall Mountains from Bodenschneid looking west to the Wallberg
Highest point
Peak Zugspitze
Elevation 2,962 m (9,718 ft)
Coordinates 47°18′43″N 10°21′22″E﻿ / ﻿47.31194°N 10.35611°E﻿ / 47.31194; 10.35611
Native name Bayerische Alpen
Countries Germany and Austria
Range coordinates 47°38′N 11°46′E﻿ / ﻿47.64°N 11.77°E﻿ / 47.64; 11.77Coordinates: 47°38′N 11°46′E﻿ / ﻿47.64°N 11.77°E﻿ / 47.64; 11.77
Parent range Alps
Borders on Western Rhaetian Alps, North Tyrol Limestone Alps and Northern Salzburg Alps
Orogeny Alpine orogeny

The Bavarian Alps (German: Bayerische Alpen) are a mountain range in the north-eastern part of the Alps.


The term Bavarian Alps in its wider sense refers to that part of the Alps that lies on Bavarian state territory in Germany. However it is usually understood that the Bavarian Alps are only those ranges between the rivers Lech and Saalach in Germany. In this narrower sense, the Allgäu Alps, which have only been part of Bavaria in more recent times, and the Berchtesgaden Alps are not considered part of the Bavarian Alps.

The term is frequently used, but does not correspond to the classification of the Eastern Alps developed by the German-speaking Alpine Clubs. It should not be confused with the term Bavarian Prealps either. The latter only covers the Bavarian section of the prealps between the River Loisach in the west and the River Inn in the east.

Notable summits[edit]

The Bavarian Alps in their broader sense include the following parts of the mountain ranges listed − in this tabular overview sorted roughly from west to east and with maximum heights shown in metres (m) above sea level (NN). The highest peaks and elevations shown relate to that part of the mountain group that lies in Bavaria, and not to the overall group. For example the highest mountain of the Allgäu Alps, the 2,657 m (AA) high Großer Krottenkopf, lies in Tyrol and is not shown in the table.

The highest peak in the Bavarian Alps and in Germany as a whole is the Zugspitze. It lies in the western part of the Wetterstein range and has a high Alpine character with its height of 2,962 m above NN as well as its two small glaciers.

By clicking on the word "List" in the various rows of the Lists column, a list other mountains in the particular range may be viewed (noting that some of them will be outside Bavaria or the Bavarian Alps). The table may be sorted by clicking on the sort symbols in the column headers.

The Zugspitze Massif (left); highest mountain in Germany in Upper Bavaria (from the southwest / Fernpass)


in Bavarian Alps
Highest peak
on Bavarian state territory
Allgäu Alps List part Hochfrottspitze 2,649
Ammergau Alps List most Kreuzspitze 2,185
Wetterstein List part Zugspitze 2,962
Bavarian Prealps[1] List part Krottenkopf 2,086
Karwendel[2] List part Östliche Karwendelspitze 2,538
Chiemgau Alps List most Sonntagshorn 1,961
Berchtesgaden Alps List part Watzmann 2,713


Like the Alps as a whole, the Bavarian Alps, as part of the Northern Limestone Alps, were heavily influenced by the last ice age. Cirques, lakes and typical U-shaped valleys were formed by the glaciers. Depositions by ice age rivers and glaciers left behind a gently rolling landscape in the Alpine Foreland with lakes and bogs.


  1. ^ Bavarian Prealps subdivided into: Ester Mountains, Walchensee Mountains, Benediktenwand Group and Mangfall Mountains
  2. ^ Karwendel: main part of the range lies in Austrian Tyrol


  • DAV: Alpenvereins-Jahrbuch "Berg '84": Die Einteilung der Ostalpen
  • Bogner Franz X. (2011). Die deutschen Alpen aus der Luft. Rosenheimer Verlag, ISBN 978-3475540752.

External links[edit]