Берхтесгаден

Berchtesgaden's royal castle grew from an Augustinian collegiate foundation established in the early twelfth century. Successive additions preserve several periods of architecture: a Romanesque cloister from around 1180, a Gothic hall from around 1400, Renaissance rooms and a Baroque wing completed in 1725. The complex was the residence of the provosts who governed the surrounding territory.

Ecclesiastical rule ended in 1803, and Berchtesgaden became part of Bavaria in 1810. From 1818 the castle served as a hunting residence for the Bavarian kings. Crown Prince Rupprecht lived there with his family from 1922 to 1933 and contributed to its art collections. Public tours now present the building's architectural layers and furnishings, while selected themed visits combine the historic rooms with music.