Berchtesgaden Panorama Loop

The Berchtesgaden Panorama Loop takes about an hour to walk and passes churches and chapels in Berchtesgaden’s historic center before continuing along the Soleleitungsweg trail above the town. During Advent, the trail—also known as the Emmaus Trail—is illuminated by 75 oversized lanterns inspired by traditional Berchtesgaden craftsmanship, casting a warm, atmospheric glow along the way.

On the Panorama Loop Trail, you’ll discover the following churches and chapels in and around the historic center of Berchtesgaden:

• Kalvarienberg-Kapelle (Calvary Chapel): The Crucifixion Chapel stands high above Berchtesgaden. The Calvary also includes four smaller chapels depicting the first four Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary: Jesus sweating blood, Jesus being scourged, Jesus being crowned with thorns, and Jesus carrying the heavy cross. The fifth mystery, the Crucifixion of Jesus, is represented by the large Crucifixion Chapel.
• Kirchleitenkapelle on Ponnzenzenbichl: Ponnzenzenkapelle marks the destination of a meditation trail dedicated to the Eight Beatitudes. The chapel, also known as Kapelle der Seligpreisungen (Chapel of the Beatitudes), is called Kirchleitenkapelle because it stands on a Leitn, the local term for a hillside, above the St. Andreas parish center. From here, you can enjoy views of Berchtesgaden’s four churches.
• St. Andreas Parish Church: St. Andreas Parish Church was built by the citizens of Berchtesgaden in 1397. The impressive Romanesque-Baroque interior, dating from the second half of the 13th century, is dominated by monumental altars. The high altar was created by local artists between 1703 and 1705. The two front side altars date from the first half of the 17th century—the Marian altar on the left and St. Anne with the Virgin and Child on the right—while the two additional side altars date from the same period as the high altar.
• Stiftskirche Berchtesgaden St. Peter and St. John the Baptist: The historic Stiftskirche, the Collegiate Church of the Augustinian Canons, has served as the mother church of the Berchtesgaden valley since 1102. Its Baroque interior blends harmoniously with the building’s Gothic architecture. Since 2015, a relic of Blessed Father Kaspar Stanggassinger has been displayed on the St. Augustine altar. The gold of the shrine shimmers through a door whose text tells the story of his life. The late Romanesque cloister at the eastern portal of Stiftskirche Berchtesgaden cannot be accessed through the church itself, but from Schlossplatz in front of it. The Berchtesgaden cloister is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful in all of Germany.