Königssee
- Visit: about 2 h
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About
Why go
- Sheer rock walls return the lake’s echo up to seven times; crews demonstrate it with a horn or trumpet on the trip to St. Bartholomä.
- St. Bartholomä’s pilgrimage church stands on the Hirschau peninsula beside a former hunting lodge with an inn.
- Steep mountain slopes frame the lake, with the Watzmann’s 1,800-metre east wall rising above its western shore.
- Obersee lies just south of Königssee, with the 470-metre Röthbach waterfall beside it.
- Königssee is among Germany’s cleanest lakes.
What's in season
- Apr – OctBoats carry visitors to St. Bartholomä or Salet.
Season and conditions
- The Eiskapelle is an ice and snow field that remains year-round.
Safety
- Private boats and diving are prohibited; rowing boats can be rented through Schifffahrt Königssee.
- Swimming is allowed except in the lock area at Seelände.
- At the Eiskapelle, do not enter its ice arch.
Shorts
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Königssee und Wanderung auf den Jenner!Reisebüro MeinReisekanal
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Schönau am KönigsseeHaris
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Königssee / BayernTuttistay
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Berchtesgadener Land - Bayern - Oberbayern - KönigsseeAtilla Barbarossa
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Schönau am Königssee Nationalpark Berchtesgaden Bayern UrlaubLeben am Königssee
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Lake Königssee, GermanyChata
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Königssee Schönau am Königssee Berchtesgadener LandLeben am Königssee
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Königssee in Schönau/Bayern WasserfälleWilli March
History
Debris carried by the Eisbach formed the 85-hectare Hirschau peninsula. Trout and Arctic char live in the lake, whose water drains through the Königsseer Ache and Berchtesgadener Ache toward the Salzach. Measures to preserve the lake’s water purity were taken throughout the 20th century. Protecting the lake and its shore also helped bring about the creation of Berchtesgaden National Park.
- Last glaciationGlaciers formed the deep lake basin, and a natural dam held back its outflow.
- 1134A document recorded the lake’s name as Chunigesee.
- Around 1560A wooden weir was built at Seeklause for timber rafting.
- 18th c.Passenger boat trips began with rowboats carrying travellers, animals and goods.
- July 1909The first electric boat entered service on the lake.
Show all
- 1938–1940After flood damage, Seeklause was rebuilt in its present form with a footbridge.
How to get there
- 120 minBoatPassenger boats call at Seelände, St. Bartholomä and Salet; Kessel is served on request. In ideal conditions, a Seelände–Salet boat tour takes about two hours.
- On footFrom Salet, a trail leads to Obersee, Fischunkelalm and Röthbachfall.
- 60 minOn footA trail from St. Bartholomä reaches the Eiskapelle beneath Watzmann-Ostwand in about an hour.
Sources: Königssee - Wikipedia · Berchtesgaden National Park - Wikivoyage (see) · Königssee - Wikipedia · Königssee - Wikipedia · checked 30 Sep 2026
Plan from here: Evening walk →
Questions and answers
Can you walk around Königssee beside the water?
There is no continuous lakeside path because the mountain walls often drop steeply into the water. St. Bartholomä and the southern shore are reached by boat or mountain trails.
Is there a walk along the former Königssee Railway?
The railway served the lake from 1909 to 1965; most of its former route is now a walking path.
Does Königssee mean “King’s Lake”?
The name probably derives from Kuno, a shortened form of Conrad, rather than from the German word for king.
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