Garmisch-Partenkirchen is an Alpine ski town in Bavaria, southern Germany. It is the seat of government of the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, in the Oberbayern region, which borders Austria. Nearby is Germany's highest mountain, Zugspitze, at 2,962 metres (9,718 ft) above sea level.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen in September 2009, Alpspitze and Zugspitze in background left
Garmisch-Partenkirchen, painting by Anton Doll
Aerial view of Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Panorama of Garmisch by Valentin Gappnigg (c. 1700)
The Zugspitze, at 2,962 m (9,718 ft) above sea level, is the highest peak of the Wetterstein Mountains and the highest mountain in Germany. It lies south of the town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Bavaria, and the Austria–Germany border is on its western summit. South of the mountain is the Zugspitzplatt, a high karst plateau with numerous caves. On the flanks of the Zugspitze are two glaciers, the largest in Germany: the Northern Schneeferner with an area of 30.7 hectares and Höllentalferner with an area of 24.7 hectares. Shrinking of the Southern Schneeferner led to the loss of glacier status in 2022.
Zugspitze from Ehrwald, Tyrol, Austria
View from the Alpspitze of the Zugspitze summit and the Höllentalferner glacier in 2007
Annotated aerial photograph of the Zugspitze massif
The Zugspitzplatt above the Reintal valley in 2006