Partnach Gorge

The Partnach Gorge (Partnachklamm) is a striking natural landmark located in the Reintal valley near Garmisch-Partenkirchen in southern Germany. This deep gorge has been carved over millennia by the relentless erosive power of the Partnach stream, creating a dramatic landscape of towering rock walls.

Formation and Geology

The gorge's geological history stretches back to the Triassic period, approximately 240 million years ago. During this time, dark grey, hard layers of Alpine muschelkalk, also known as Wurstelkalk, were deposited on the seabed of a shallow sea. These strata still bear the fossilized traces of marine animals. Following this, about 5 million years later, softer marls were laid down in the same marine basin, which are now recognized as the Partnach strata. The subsequent Alpine mountain folding created the Warnberg Saddle from these rock layers. The Partnach stream, originating from the Schneeferner glacier on the Zugspitzplatt plateau, possessed sufficient erosive force to rapidly wear away the softer Partnach strata while keeping pace with the continuous uplift of the land. This process allowed the stream to cut deeply into the harder Alpine muschelkalk, shaping the narrow, gorge-like valley, while the areas composed of softer strata exhibit a wider valley cross-section.

Modern Significance and Accessibility

Since 1912, the Partnach Gorge has been managed as a tourist attraction and is open for visits throughout the year. An entrance fee is applicable during daylight hours in both the summer and winter seasons, with visitors entering at their own risk outside these times. A notable geological event occurred on June 1, 1991, when approximately 5,000 cubic meters of rock detached from a cliff face at the southern end of the gorge, obstructing the original path and the watercourse. This resulted in the formation of a small, natural dammed lake, with the Partnach rerouting its flow through the fallen boulders. To address this, a 108-meter-long gallery, blasted directly from the rock, was constructed and opened in 1992 to bypass the rock piles and the lake. This gallery is illuminated by windows, allowing continued access to the gorge's natural beauty.

Cultural Footprint

The dramatic scenery of the Partnach Gorge has also captured the attention of filmmakers. It notably served as a filming location for the 1979 rendition of the classic vampire film, 'Nosferatu the Vampyre', underscoring its atmospheric and visually compelling character.