The Brine Pipe Path
Our Insider Tip for an Unforgettable Day Out in Berchtesgaden
Wonderful views of the town of Berchtesgaden and the magnificent mountain world of the Berchtesgaden Alps are guaranteed.In addition, displays and information boards offer interesting facts about a historical masterpiece - the Berchtesgaden brine pipeline
How Everything Began…
200 years ago, the designer Georg von Reichenbach was commissioned to build the brine pipeline. This pipeline was to be built to transport the brine from the salt mine in Berchtesgaden to the saltworks in Bad Reichenhall.
356 metres of altitude had to be conquered
The only possible route without touching Imperial Austrian territory was the route over the mountain ridge between the Lattengebirge mountains and the Reiter Alps. For the time, this was hardly manageable due to the difference in altitude. On the September 18, 1816, the Bavarian King Max I Joseph gave the final order for the construction of the brine pipeline, which was to be completed in just 1.5 years.
Thanks to the ingenious invention of a brine lifting machine by Georg von Reichenbach, the 356m difference in altitude at Ilsank could be overcome. This massive brine lift pump (the Reichenbach pump) can be visited at the Visitor mine .
As early as December 22, 1817, the first Berchtesgaden brine flowed in wooden "Deicheln" (wooden pipes) over a length of 29 km and considerable differences in altitude from Berchtesgaden to Bad Reichenhall.
200 Years of Brine Pipelines
This brine pipeline remained in continuous operation until February 19, 1927 - a masterstroke that is a great credit to its inventor, both then and now.
In 2017, we celebrated the 200th anniversary of this technical masterpiece, which still transports the brine to the Bad Reichenhall salt works today (in a slightly more modern design, of course).In the salt works, the brine is still evaporated and processed into the famous Bad Reichenhaller AlpenSalz .
The Brine Pipeline – A Hike For the Whole Family
If you want to see the brine pipeline for yourself and immerse yourself in the history of this technical masterpiece, this is the place to be! The Brine Pipeline Trail takes you from the Berchtesgaden salt mine via the historic Nonntal valley to the Lockstein. The brine pipes indicate the course of the brine pipeline. At this point you have already reached the highest point of the hike.
To the House of Mountains
From now on, it's just a leisurely walk along the slope.Signposts lead to the brine pipeline footbridge a little below.The bold wooden construction on a steep rock face takes you to the "Reichenbach Niche".
From the footbridge at the Reichenbach niche, you have a wonderful view of Berchtesgaden and the magnificent mountain scenery.
The existing historic route of the brine pipeline begins and ends at the Hotel Kronprinz.
From here you can reach the attractive end point of the hike in 5-10 minutes on foot: the „House of the Mountains“.
You can find the exact route description and a flyer of the Brine Pipeline Trail here.
My Programme Suggestion for an Unforgettable Day Trip – Ideal for Families With Children:
Get your online tickets for a visit to the Berchtesgaden Salt Mine in advance.This way you can avoid any waiting times on site.
After the guided tour, you can walk the brine pipeline path from the salt mine to the House of Mountains in 60 minutes.
In the centre of Berchtesgaden you have the opportunity to rest at one of the many traditional restaurants.
Afterwards, I recommend a detour to the Haus der Berge, the information centre of the Berchtesgaden National Park. In the award-winning exhibition "Vertical Wilderness", you can experience the four habitats of water, forest, alpine meadows, and rock up close with a constant change of seasons.
