The Zugspitze, Germany’s highest mountain normally 2962 m high, can be reached by the „Zugspitzbahn“,
a cog wheel Train up on Germanys highest mountain skiing area, the Zugspitzplatt some meter below the Zugpitze summit and a awarded historical landmark for german artistry in engineering. It starts in Garmisch. 1899 Wittelsbacher ruler Prinzregent Luitpold rejected to agree to the construction of the trace because he had the opinion that there is no demand for such a thing. 1928 finally the plans of a new syndicate received approval and the construction of the rail was planed to be finished until 1930, the opening of the near by much more famous „Oberammergauer Passionsspiele“ 1930. Garmisch wasn’t as important at that time. Oberammergau also had a Ski Jump at that time.
It can also be reached by two mountain cableways, one from Germany and one from Austria which is sharing the summit area and skiing area with Germany. As the German cableway was renewed and a lifter was installed on the summit platform
the Zugspitze even became a bit higher than before during the 3 year construction time.
At the moment it also puts up Germanies highest wreckage, I still have to explore if the TÜV is the responsible technical inspector .
The new as well as the old cableway spans the worldwide biggest distance in altitude of about 1945 m of one single leg of a cableway. One reason more for Sheila travelling with it as she went with other important cableways like the Teleférico de Mérida in Merida Venezuela or the one in Singapore or the cog wheel train up on Pikes Peak (USA).
The Austrian part at the summit is smaller than the German one and situated a bit lower.
The Zugspitze puts up Germanys highest post office, Germany’s highest May Pole which was stolen in a striking event by some Austrian “Burschen” by deploying a helicopter. (Burschenverein)
With many guest from Arabia and Garmisch being the official seat of the Emirate of Oman and of sheikh “Qabus Ibn Said” it now also puts up Germanys highest Muslim Prayer Room,
but also Germany’s highest Halal Toilet,
Germany’s highest summit cross was retouched in some advertisement brochures for the Arabian clients as some more fake news but it is still there.
Germanys highest “Jagatee” or depending on the origin (sorry) it has to be called “Hüttentee” now due to the complex EU spirits decree can be drunken here.
You can see Germany’s highest icicles,
Germany’s highest Beer Garden,
Germany’s highest weather station,
Germany’s highest car
and Germany’s highest border station (to enter Austria, but there were no controls when Sheila entered).
Sheila sitting on a panel which shows a panorama with many places Sheila had visited and view down to the Eibsee lake (Bavarian caribian“
With the mountain station “Schneefernerhaus” (a former hotel which is now used for environmental science) it also puts up Germany’s highest train station which is however no longer used by the public. The main tunnel of the cog wheel train “Zugspitzbahn”
has been moved and now serves the skiing area “Zugspitzblatt” directly, a bit lower and now the old tunnel is only used for special transports by the Zugspitzbahn for the science staff.
There is also Germany’s highest hut of the German Alpine Club which is closed in winter.
Today more than 500.000 visitors enjoy the silence and peace of the wild mountain area and the all year skiing opportunity.
Credit: Maps Icons Collection, https://mapicons.mapsmarker.com
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