The spectacular Breitachklamm, the deepest rock gorge in Central Europe

@ElentirENG ES 9·02·2024 · 23:35 0

In southern Germany, in the Bavarian Alps, a striking rock gorge has formed in the course of the Breitach River.

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Known as the Breitachklamm, this gorge began to form 10,000 years ago, during the Ice Age or Würm glaciation, which lasted from 110,000 to 9,700 BC, a period when the Alps were completely covered by an extensive ice sheet. The Breitachklamm is the deepest rock gorge in all of Central Europe.

The formation of the Breitachklamm was made possible by the glacier that ran along the current course of the Breitach River, which was once about 700 metres thick, eroding the hardest rocks to create a gorge up to 150 metres high and 2.5 kilometres long. The result was an impressive gorge.

Despite its age, the Breitachklamm remained hidden from mankind for thousands of years. It could only be seen from the top, where a bridge was built in the 15th century. Because of its inaccessibility, the Breitachklamm was shrouded in mystery and legend for centuries, with ghost stories, hidden treasures and rumours that down there, where the water generated that great roar, were the very gates of hell.

It was at the end of the 19th century that attempts were made to make this formidable gorge accessible, at a time when tourism and mountain excursions were becoming fashionable. However, the Breitachklamm as we know it is thanks to a Christian pastor, Johannes Schiebel, a native of the village of Tiefenbach, where living conditions were harsh and there were many needs at the beginning of the 20th century.

According to the official website of the gorge, Schiebel had the idea of ​​using the Breitachklamm as a tourist attraction in 1901, in order to create new jobs in his community. The Oberstdorf Beautification Association initially took on the project, but encountered many technical problems.

It is often said that faith can move mountains – and sometimes it can also make caves accessible. Pastor Schiebel did not give up and took on the project with his own hands, using his experience in cave development. At his request, some citizens of Tiefenbach managed to descend on ropes into the gorge, discovering the long-hidden gem and coming to the firm conclusion that it was worth taking advantage of.

In 1904, the Breitachklamm Association, a cooperative that eventually had 72 members, was founded to develop the project. The first blast to open the gorge took place on 25 July 1904, and 20 men then set to work to build access to the gorge. Finally, on 4 June 1905, the Breitachklamm was finally accessible. Pastor Schiebel wrote in his diary: "The great work is done, the rock chambers of the wild Zwing have been broken through. With God's help, the highly dangerous work was completed without any accidents."

Photo: breitachklamm.com.

Today, a trail and walkway run through the gorge. The Breitachklamm receives 300,000 visitors each year, although it is closed for several weeks in spring and autumn for cleaning and repair work. You can see its calendar and opening times on its official website. Activities in the gorge include nightly torchlight tours, in winter and after Christmas, weather permitting.

Photo: Quesy Quesy.

It should be noted that a plaque has been placed at the entrance to the gorge in honour of Pastor Schiebel, thanks to whose work and tenacity this natural gem can now be visited.

Photo: Pjt56.

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Main photo: Daniel Schmidt.