Oberstdorf

Oberstdorf

Oberstdorf village view

Coat of arms
Oberstdorf

Coordinates: 47°25′N 10°17′E / 47.417°N 10.283°E / 47.417; 10.283Coordinates: 47°25′N 10°17′E / 47.417°N 10.283°E / 47.417; 10.283
Country Germany
State Bavaria
Admin. region Swabia
District Oberallgäu
Government
 • Mayor Laurent Mies
Population (2015-12-31)[1]
 • Total 9,638
Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes 87561
Website Official website

Oberstdorf is a municipality and skiing and hiking town in southwest Germany, located in the Allgäu region of the Bavarian Alps. Oberstdorf is one of the highest market towns in Germany. The southernmost point in Germany is located in the municipality.

At the center of Oberstdorf is a church whose tall spire serves as a landmark for navigating around town. The summits of the Nebelhorn and Fellhorn provide dramatic panoramic views of the alps. The Nebelhorn can be reached with a big cable car. Visitors can ride a unique diagonal elevator to the top of the Heini-Klopfer-Skiflugschanze.

Geography

View of Oberstdorf
The Nebelhorn, Oberstdorf's local mountain

Administrative divisions

Oberstdorf consists of the village of Oberstdorf (813 metres above sea level, survey point by the Roman Catholic church) and five other villages:

Valleys

View of Oberstdorf from the Gaißalphorn

There is a large number of valleys in the area around Oberstdorf, many of which are not only scenic, but are often starting points for walks in the mountains. The following list shows the main valleys together with their side valleys:

Oytal and Dietersbachtal are separated by the Höfats and Rauheck. Gerstruben, Germany's highest village, lies at the entrance to the Dietersbachtal.

The Rappenalptal is the longest and runs from Germany's southernmost village, Einödsbach, past the Haldenwanger Eck, Germany's southernmost point. At the end of the valley the Schrofen Pass leads to Austria.

Mountains

The Allgäu Alps in the area around Oberstdorf attain heights of over 2,600 metres and belong to the Northern Limestone Alps. The best known summits in Oberstdorf are:[2]

Lakes

There are numerous lakes at various heights around Oberstdorf:

Sports

In December, before every New Year, Oberstdorf hosts the first part of the ski jumping Four Hills Tournament on the Schattenberg large hill. There is also a ski flying hill, Heini-Klopfer-Skiflugschanze, about seven kilometres to the south. ABC's Wide World of Sports famously featured the Oberstdorf ski flying hill when Vinko Bogataj fell during his jump in 1970, thus becoming known as "The Agony of Defeat".

Germany's modern figure skating center was built on the outside of the town. It has three covered rinks and some of them are accessible to the public, for recreational skating. It is a popular destination with European skaters for training camps.[3]

Oberstdorf hosts the annual Nebelhorn Trophy figure skating competition and has hosted the German Figure Skating Championships twelve times. It has also hosted the 1982, 2000, and 2007 World Junior Figure Skating Championships.

Mountain bikers start their Transalp tour in Oberstdorf on the Schrofen Pass to Riva del Garda.[4]

Notable people

Sister cities

References

  1. ↑ "Fortschreibung des Bevölkerungsstandes". Bayerisches Landesamt für Statistik und Datenverarbeitung (in German). June 2016.
  2. ↑ Kompass walking, cycling and ski touring map: Sheet 03 Oberstdorf, Kleinwalsertal (1:25,000). ISBN 978-3-8549-1231-6 (as at: 2009).
  3. ↑ Flade, Tatjana (July 22, 2011). "Carolina Kostner Attends Camp In Oberstdorf, Germany". IFS Magazine. Retrieved July 28, 2011.
  4. ↑ Transalp on the Heckmair Route
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