belonged to Bavaria. With the advent of the 10th century the duchy joined the Holy Roman Empire. In 1180 the Emperor awarded the duchy to the Wittelsbachs who were to rule first as dukes and later kings for over 700 years.
When Napoleon I abolished the Holy Roman Empire in 1806 Bavaria became a constitutional monarchy. With the rise of Prussia, and the unification of Germany under the German Empire in 1871, the kingdom became a state within the empire. After World War I the monarchy and the empire came to an end. A short-lived socialist republic followed and then Bavaria joined the Weimar Republic. The instability of this republic enabled the emergence of the Nazis, and Hitler helped stage the Beer Hall Putsch in Munich in 1923. After the end of Nazi rule (1933–1945) Bavaria became a part of the Federal Republic of Germany. Today it is the largest and one of the wealthiest of Germany’s 16 states.
Culture
Art and architecture
In few areas of Germany did the opulent baroque and rococo styles (17th–18th centuries) achieve the pre-eminence that they have in Upper Bavaria. Baroque churches with their onion domes seem to rise above every village and are seen perched on hills throughout the region. The even brighter colours and more joyful forms of the rococo (which developed from the baroque) can be admired in many village churches, but it is above all the Pilgrimage Church of Wies (Wieskirche) near Steingaden where it can be seen at its most stunning.
Ceiling detail in the former baroque Monastery Church of St Martin at Fischbachau, near Birkenstein (Walk 43)
However, the baroque influence was not restricted to just the church, it also filtered down to the world of the ordinary folk. This is mainly seen in the 18th-century frescoed house-fronts (Lüftlmalerei) of Oberammergau and Mittenwald and in folk-art such as the painted farmhouse furniture that can be admired in numerous museums of local history.
LUDWIG II, KING OF BAVARIA
Ludwig II (1845–86), King of Bavaria, was both a romantic and tragic figure. He was deposed in 1886 on grounds of supposed insanity and soon after found drowned under mysterious circumstances. A patron of the arts and friend of Wagner, his passion for building castles brought him to the verge of ruin. Yet it is Ludwig who is today the most popular of Bavarian monarchs. His castles Neuschwanstein, Linderhof and Herrenchiemsee now attract visitors from all over the world. They also earned him the title of ‘fairy-tale’ king.
King Ludwig II
Large, picturesque wooden farmhouses are also typical of the region. A feature is the large balcony decorated with flowers on the house front. It is occasionally possible to see a traditional roof with wooden tiles and stones on top to protect it from strong winds.
That the stunning alpine scenery attracted artists is hardly surprising. The 19th-century Romantic painter Carl Rottmann was among the many who tried to capture alpine grandeur on canvas. In the 20th century artists of the Blue Rider school pioneered a move to abstraction. A museum devoted to leading member Franz Marc can be visited at Kochel am See (Walchensee). Lovis Corinth, one of the most important exponents of German Expressionism, was also fascinated by the area around Walchensee.
Traditional culture
Bavarians can be characterised as a conservative, devoutly religious people (mainly Catholic) and nowhere is this truer than in the alpine regions described in this guide.
Tracht, or folklore costume, plays an important role. Lederhosen (leather pants) and dirndl dresses can be seen as an integral part of the Bavarian identity. Not only is it worn on special occasions but simplified versions are often worn to work. It is important to note, however, that the costumes differ according to region and for the most part they are based on what the 19th-century Tracht movement considered traditional. It was initiated by Maximilian II, the first Bavarian king to wear Tracht himself.
The many religious and folk festivals in the region are a great way to see traditional costumes and hear Bavarian folk music. One of the most interesting, and evidence of a still-strong rural culture, is the Almabtrieb or Viehscheid (cattle round-up). This is when the cattle are herded down from their alpine pastures to winter quarters in the valley. Depending on local weather conditions it takes place throughout the alpine region between mid September and mid October. Good places to see it include Oberstdorf and Königssee near Berchtesgaden. (For exact dates contact the local tourist offices.)
Festivals like the Bauernwochen (Farmer’s Weeks) in Mittenwald in September are great for an experience of local tradition
Plants and wildlife
In all mountain regions different plant communities grow at different altitudes. A walk from the valley floor to the top of an alpine peak will take you through several vegetation zones: cultivated fields and woodland lower down, shrublands and alpine meadows as you ascend. Due to the extreme climatic conditions the higher alpine regions are only relatively sparsely vegetated. In the Bavarian Alps the Latsche or dwarf pine (Pinus mugo) is the most characteristic plant above the treeline (1700–1900m). Related to the pine (Pinus sylvestris), it grows at altitudes up to 2700m and has the appearance of a bush rather than a tree.
Below 1700m the forests are characterised by conifers such as spruce and fir, but large stands of beech are still found in those areas which have not been over-exploited by the forestry industry. Relatively untouched mountain forests are dominated by a mixture of pine and beech (800–1400m), and in recent years efforts have been made to establish healthier mixed forests (less susceptible to disease and insect pests) by planting more deciduous species along with the quick-growing conifers. In autumn the sycamore and European larch are especially noticeable as their leaves turn to a striking golden-yellow.
Human influence on the local plant communities is most evident on the lower mountain slopes and in the valleys. Fields of wildflowers – that many may think represent a natural, undisturbed environment – in fact result from the grazing of alpine pastures over many centuries. Without this grazing, or the mowing of grass for hay, the mountain pastures would soon be overgrown by weeds and eventually forest would take over. Various species of orchid, gentian and globeflower are just a few of the many that can be seen in the course of a walk through alm pastures. Probably the best known and most characteristic of the flowering plants at higher altitudes (up to 2800m) is the alpenrose with its pink-red flowers. Among the rarest plants found in the region are the famous edelweiss and the beautiful lady’s slipper orchid.
Alpine flowers: (clockwise from top left) stemless gentian, hellebore and alpenrose
The last brown bears were exterminated in the Bavarian Alps in the 19th century and the wolf and lynx fared no better – small populations have managed to survive, however, in a few isolated regions elsewhere in the Alps. In the absence of predators the herbivores have managed to do quite well, although even here a few species have been reintroduced after over-hunting and loss of habitat decimated local populations. Among the larger animals you are most likely to encounter are red deer (in the lower forested regions), chamois and ibex. Large birds such as the capercaillie and black grouse are very rare, while the golden eagle and bearded vulture are still struggling to re-establish themselves after being brought to the verge of extinction.
If the above sounds like a rather depressing litany of ecological disaster it might be a relief to know that the alpine chough is quite
