Kehlsteinhaus, a teahouse for Adolf Hitler’s 50th birthday

The Kehlsteinhaus, also known as Eagle's Nest, is a chalet structure located in the state of Bavaria, in southeastern Germany. It was built as a teahouse for Adolf Hitler’s 50th birthday.  In 1952 the Eagle’s Nest road was closed to public traffic and a special mountain bus service was put into operation.

Kehlsteinhaus (Eagle’s Nest)

Can you drive to Kehlsteinhaus?

Set high on the Obersalzberg Mountain, in the Berchtesgaden Alps, the house (a present by Martin Bormann) was used as a retreat and a place for him to entertain visiting dignitaries. Now it’s the site of a restaurant with views. The road to the structure is totally paved and ends at 1.685m (5,528ft) above the sea level on a parking lot. It’s called Kehlsteinstrasse. To reach the chalet, the last part must be done by elevator. It's one of the highest roads of the country.

How long is the road to Kehlsteinhaus (Eagle's Nest)?

The road is very steep, hitting a 24% of maximum gradient through some of the ramps. Starting at the Obersalzbergstraße, the road is 6.5km (4.03 miles) long and 4 m (13 ft) wide. It has 5 tunnels and the difference in height is 736m, with an average gradient of 11.32%. The road is considered a feat of engineering. It was blasted out of solid rock in only 13 months and is considered to be unique in its construction design.

Is the road to Kehlsteinhaus (Eagle's Nest) open?

The great difference in elevation is achieved with only 5 hairpin turns and crosses the steep northwest side of the Kehlstein mountain twice. In 1952 the Eagle’s Nest road was closed to public traffic and a special mountain bus service was put into operation. Through the frost and snow of winter, the rock walls of the Eagle’s Nest road are damaged from falling rock from above, therefore every spring the walls are "cleaned" and since 1952 have insured that no accidents have occurred. Due to its high elevation the Eagle's Nest is open in summer only, usually from about mid-May through October.
Pic: Klaus Schelbert