Friday, November 30, 2012

Part 34: Kehlsteinhaus


June 22, 1991 - Hot
"We ate lunch at a little Gasthaus then we headed up to Eagles Nest.  To get there we took the Alpine Road, one of the highest in Germany."

The Kehlstein (Eagle's Nest) was built in 13 months and was intended as a 50th birthday present to Hitler.  Apparently, he was less than fearless and deathly afraid of heights - ironically satisfying.  Visited rarely and only briefly, the building was spared demolition at the end of WWII.  


Decided to forgo the bus ride in favor of hiking the Alpine Road.  Busloads of tourist would cheer and shout as they drove by.  
One enters Eagle's Nest through a tunnel leading to a 124 meter ride up a Venetian-mirrored brass elevator.  



I would have preferred climbing a towering spiral staircase, but consoled myself with the idea that the long elevator shaft bored up through the mountain was somewhat like a tower.    







The grand marble fireplace.  The fireplace originally had crisp clean edges.   All of the jagged edges of the fireplace show where it was damaged and chipped away by allied troops. 





A memorial for those lost to WWII and Alp hiking deaths.  



 

 As I type this, it is 6:24am at the Kehlsteinhaus and appears to be a chilly hazy morning.   The Kehlsteinhaus weather camera is subject to time zone differences and is frequently obscured by clouds.  You can see a panorama view of the current weather at this link: 
(webcam may be unavailable due to weather related issues)

Eagle's Nest Weather Check


Daily View of Kehlsteinhaus
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Most people are afraid of Venetian mirrors.  Admit it, I am fearless.