From the Salt Mine to the Haus der Berge (Brine Pipeline Trail)

From the Berchtesgaden Salt Mine, follow Salzburger Straße toward the town center. You will pass the former secondary school and then reach Schachernkreuz / Locksteinstraße intersection. Continue through the historic Nonntal. Soon you will reach the ascent to Lockstein / Soleleitungsweg on your right. After about 5 minutes, you reach the foundation of the former elevated tank with a large information panel. The brine pipeline tubes indicate the route of the "pipeline." Here you have already reached the highest point of the hike! From now on, the path follows the hillside only. Now you follow the route of the historic brine pipeline.

The path leads south, parallel to the slope. The exhibition "Deicheln/Holzröhren" lies below the farmhouse. Staying at the same elevation, you cross Doktorbergstraße after 100 m. Signposts lead a bit below to the brine pipeline footbridge. The bold wooden structure on a steep rock face brings you to the "Reichenbach niche" with a new panorama panel. The niche in the rock wall commemorates the ingenious inventor of this brine pipeline: Georg von Reichenbach. With his water column engine, he made it possible to transport the Berchtesgaden brine through a 30 km long pipeline to Bad Reichenhall. From the footbridge at the Reichenbach niche, you have a very good view of Berchtesgaden's townscape and the magnificent mountain world. At Kalvarienberg, you will find a special brine pipeline monument: for a uniform slope of the brine pipeline, a tunnel had to be blasted through the rock. An info panel points to the entrance. After a few minutes, you reach a second brine pipeline footbridge. High above the Protestant church, an information panel recalls the unusual history of Berchtesgaden's Protestants. Slightly below the brine pipeline path, you can only see the Royal Villa from the back. However, the information panel explains the magnificent facade and the royal past of the residence and park with images and text. The forestry office explains on its information panel the outstanding importance of the saline forests for salt production. A shortage of wood led to the construction of the sensational brine pipeline from Berchtesgaden to Reichenhall. The route ran exactly past here. At the Hotel Kronprinz, the still existing historic route of the brine pipeline begins or ends. From here to the Haus der Berge: 5-10 minutes.