North Tyrol; Bavarian and Salzburg Alps ... - Tapa blanda

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1873 Excerpt: ...course to the plain near Salzburg. Meanwhile the Salza, after passing close to the S. end of the Zeller See, runs eastward for about 20 m. to St.. Johann-imPongau, then turns abruptly to N., and keeps the same course for 40 m., till it receives the Saale below Salzburg. Within this narrow space is enclosed a small group of lofty limestone peaks, surrounding a lake of little extent, but scarcely equalled elsewhere for the grandeur and beauty of its scenery. The Konigs See and the basin which is drained into it belong to Bavaria, along with the tract lying between it and Reichenhall; but the western, southern, and eastern slopes of the same mountains lie within Salzburg territory. The small tract thus almost enclosed within the Austrian frontier is justly deemed a jewel in the Bavarian crown. The exquisite scenery has rendered this the favourite resort of successive sovereigns, while the salt mines of Reichenhall and Berchtesgaden have produced a large revenue to the royal exchequer. Berchtesgaden is the natural centre of this district, and the point chiefly resorted to by foreigners. The mountaineer will prefer the new inn at the N. end of the Konigs See. There are several other places offering attractive headquarters. Of these the most frequented by German visitors is Reichenhall, while Ramsau, resorted to by artists and naturalists, has rougher accommodation, but greater natural advantages. The mountains immediately surroundingthe Konigs See do not attain to 9,000 ft., and only two of them, Watzmann (8,988'), and Schonfeldspitz (8,696'), approach that limit. The much higher summit of the Uebergossene Alp (9,643') lies S. of the frontier of Salzburg, and is not seen from the lake. On the S. side of the high group of limestone mountains is a tract of much le...