Untersberg

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Untersberg
Untersberg from Salzburg
Elevation	1,972 metres (6,469 feet)
Location	Germany-Austria
Range	Alps
Coordinates	47°42′N, 12°59′E
First ascent	12th century

The Untersberg is a mountain massif in the Alps, between Berchtesgaden, Germany and Salzburg, Austria.

The mountain is perennially popular with tourists due to its proximity to the city of Salzburg, less than 16 km (10 mi) to the north of the mountain and within easy reach by bus. A variety of paths lead to the top, but most people use the cable car that lifts passengers over 1300m to the Geiereck peak.

The first recorded ascent of the mountain was in the first half of the 12th century by Eberwein, a member of the Augustinian monastery at Berchtesgaden.

The mountain also lends its name to an opera Der Untersberg written in 1829 by Johann Nepomuk (1783-1865), Baron of Poissl.

1 Peaks
2 Cable car
3 Legend
4 Gallery
5 External links

[edit] Peaks

Berchtesgadener Hochthron: 1972 m
Rauheck: 1892 m
Gamsalpkopf: 1888 m
Salzburger Hochthron: 1853 m
Mitterberg: 1840 m
Geiereck: 1805 m

[edit] Cable car

A cable car runs from the 'St Leonhard' station in the town of Gartenau to the station at the Geiereck peak. Constructed over a period of over two years, and opening in April 1961, the eight and a half minute journey lifts passengers from the base at 456m to an altitude of 1776m, transporting them a horizontal distance of almost 2.5km during the ascent.

[edit] Legend

According to legend Emperor Frederick Barbarossa (of the Holy Roman Empire of German Nation) is half asleep inside Untersberg with his best knights where he is waiting to restore the German Empire to its former glory the day the ravens stop circling the mountain. Every day he sends out a boy to see if the ravens are still flying. His beard has grown through the table he is sitting at. There is a similar legend for the Kyffhäuser Mountain in Thüringen.

[edit] Gallery

Untersberg	View across the "Mittagsscharte", in the background on the left the "Salzburger Hochthron"	Geiereck, a peak of the Untersberg	Untersberg cable car station
Cable car to Untersberg mountain.	View of the Salzburg basin from the Untersberg mountain top. Note Salzburg Airport on the left and Salzburg old & new towns to the right	Ramblers atop the Untersberg mountain.	View from Untersberg on a cloudy day.