Jaap van 't Veen's photos with the keyword: Alta Algovia

Trettachtal (Trettach Valley) is one of Oberstdorf’s valleys, which are characterised by glacial drift from the latest ice age. The valley glaciers from the large side valleys gradually crept south, forming the scenery that is visible today. As the glaciers receded, watercourses formed the current valleys, among them the beautiful Trettachtal . The Trettach stream originates south of Oberstdorf near the Trettachspitze and is about 14 km long. North of Oberstdorf, the Trettach merges with the Breitach to form the river Iller. Nowadays the valley - almost car free - offers a more or less level, yet beautiful walk. We often made a round trip during our winter holidays in Oberstdorf. First following the river and passing the hamlets Gruben and Dietersberg, back along the golf course, the frozen Moorweiher and the historic Moorbad swimming pool.

The Breitachklamm (Breitach Gorge) was formed only during the last 10,000 years after the “Würm ice age”. Glaciers had eroded soft rocks, and hard rocks remained. When the glaciers had melted, the river Breitach had to grind its way through the hard rocks, over a distance of 2.5 km. During these years the Breitach has cut a deep canyon into the rocks of the Bavarian Alps, almost on the border between Austria and Germany, just south of Oberstdorf. The most interesting part of the gorge is a couple of hundred meters long. On some places the steep walls are more than 100 meters high, where only very few spots ever get the sunlight. There is a secured path along the river, which on the narrowest places has been cut into the steep wall of the canyon. All around is water running down the rocks, gurgles in tiny rivers across the hiking trail into the Breitach. On other place waterfalls are coming down from the overhanging walls. The further you enter the gorge, the scene turns into barren rocks with the noise of the powerful water rushing and tumbling metres below the walkway. Winter 2024 Oberstdorf: Unlike on a previous winter-visit when the walls of the gorge were covered with glittering icicles, ice curtains and frozen waterfalls we were now surprised by waterfalls and a spray of fine droplets and the roaring Breitach beneath us. Water was really everywhere.

The huge village meadow - Öschwiesen - of Oberstdorf is dotted with old barns. Being as flat as a pancake it is an ideal place for walking, biking and in winter for cross country skiing. Winter 2024 Oberstdorf: No snow, no cross-country skiing, just walkers enjoying the sun and/or the magnificent views of the surrounding Allgäu mountains (snow picture see PiP3). Farmers had already spread manure on the pastures.

Trettachtal (Trettach Valley) is one of Oberstdorf’s valleys, which are characterised by glacial drift from the latest ice age. The valley glaciers from the large side valleys gradually crept south, forming the scenery that is visible today. As the glaciers receded, watercourses formed the current valleys, among them the beautiful Trettachtal. The Trettach stream originates south of Oberstdorf near the Trettachspitze and is about 14 km long. Nowadays the valley - almost car free - offers a more or less level, yet beautiful walk. We often made a round trip during our winter holidays in Oberstdorf. First following the river and passing the hamlets Gruben and Dietersberg, back along the golf course, the frozen Moorweiher and the historic Moorbad swimming pool. Winter 2024 Oberstdorf: This winter, everything was completely different. There was no snow at all to be seen and the high temperatures made it more spring than winter. It resulted in different pictures than 'normal' (see snow photo of around the same spot in PiP 5).

The Loretto-Kapellen (Loretto chapels) are a complex of chapels and a fountain on the outskirts of Oberstdorf. It consists of three individual Roman Catholic chapels. The Loretto chapels refer to the Italian pilgrimage site of Loreto near Ancona and are the end point of the Way of the Cross, which starts at the parish church in the village. The Appachkapelle is the smallest and oldest Loretto chapel. The octagonal building was built in 1493. It is the origin of the entire complex. Today, the church houses a simple marble altar adorned with a wooden sculpture. The little chapel also offers frescoes from the time of its construction (PiP2). Just outside the chapel stands the Marienbrunnen , which has probably existed since the beginnings of the pilgrimages (PiP1). The most beautiful and largest chapel is the Kapelle Maria Loretto . It was built when the Appachkapelle became a popular pilgrimage chapel in the 17th century (between 1657 and 1677) and could no longer cope with the large number of pilgrims. It houses the miraculous image of Mary (PiP3 and 4). The Josefskapelle was built in 1671 on a cross floor plan and consecrated in 1685. This chapel used to form the actual end of the Way of the Cross (PiP5).

Kornau is a hamlet of Oberstdorf, which lies on a ridge between the Stillach and Breitach valleys. It delights with its magnificent postcard panorama of the Oberstdorf mountain world from the Rubihorn near Reichenbach to the Allgäu main ridge in the southern valleys. Kornau lies on an altitude of almost 915 meters - about hundred meters above Oberstdorf - on a sunny terrace. Although during our visit it was not very sunny, but grey and snowy. I took this picture from the path from Kornau to the Söllereck ski area.

The Dom St. Stephan (St. Stephen’s Cathedral) in Passau is located on the highest point of the old city between the rivers Inn and Danube. Other churches have stood on this place: already around the year 450 a church in the ancient city of Batavis is testified. The bishop's church was first mentioned in a document in 730 and has been the cathedral of the diocese since 739. A previous gothic church building was largely destroyed by a devastating town fire in 1662. The present cathedral has baroque architecture and was built between 1668 and 1698 by the famous Italian architect Carlo Lurago. The elaborate stucco works and wonderful frescos in the interior were done by other Italian artists. The beautifully gilded pulpit dates from 1726 and was made in Vienna. Between 1947 and 1953 a new high altar for the cathedral was created; like the ceiling fresco it depicts the stoning and the vision of St. Stephen. The Cathedral - one of the largest north of the Alps - is 102 meters long and 33.5 meters wide; the dome reaches a height of 69 meters. The octagonal upper parts of the two towers - 68 meters high - date from as far back as 1896. The Dom St. Stephan has one of the largest organs in the world. From 1924 to 1928 a large organ was built, which was rebuilt and extended at the end of the 20th century. The organ currently has 17.974 pipes and 233 registers; the largest organ pipe is 11 meters high and the smallest 6 millimeters.

Kloster Gnadenberg (Gnadenberg monastery) was the first Brigittine monastery in southern Germany. It was founded in 1422 by Count Johann I of Neumarkt and his wife Katharina. Katharina knew the order of the Vadstena monastery in Sweden, where she had spent her youth. In 1420 Pope Martinus V gave permission for the construction of the monastery. The official foundation document is dated 3 February 1426. The monasteries of the Brigittine Order (Order of the Most Holy Savior) were designed by the founder of the Order as double monasteries. The first monks came from the monastery of Paradiso near Florence in 1430. After the completion of the convent in 1435, the first nuns with their first abbess Anna Svenson came from the Maribo (Denmark) convent to Gnadenberg. After the reformation in the middle of the 16th century, the monastery went downhill until it was disbanded in 1570. From 1577 onwards, the properties were sold or fief used. In 1635, during the Thirty Years' War, the Swedish Tropics set fire to the church and parts of the monastery. Except for some buildings of the convent, Gnadenberg has been a ruin ever since.

The charming pilgrimage church Maria Hilf (St. Mary's Help) is dating back to 1694. In that year the son of the local shepherd Johann Prant was suddenly paralyzed. Out of desperation over this stroke of fate, he "became engaged to Our Lady" and promised to erect a Martersäule (scourging pillar) in her honour at Lengenbach, should his child recover again. After the boy recovered he received permission from the diocese of Eichstätt, after examining the recovery of his son, to erect a chapel in honour of the Mother of God in Lengenbach. Because he had often seen a chapel in his dreams, he started building one with his own hands, high and round like a Martersäule . Very soon the pilgrimage to the Mother of God began and increased rapidly. This led to the plan to build a larger chapel. The master bricklayer Leonhard Preindl from nearby Deining created the current building (1757 – 1760). Little by little the church was equipped. In 1768 it became its wonderful ceiling fresco "Assumption of the Virgin Mary"; two years later followed by the ornamented pulpit. Nowadays the interior is blocked by a fence, because in the seventies of the last century twentyfive of the partly very valuable votive pictures were stolen. So I had to take my pictures from behind that fence.

Trettachtal (Trettach Valley) is one of Oberstdorf’s valleys, which are characterised by glacial drift from the latest ice age. The valley glaciers from the large side valleys gradually crept south, forming the scenery that is visible today. As the glaciers receded, watercourses formed the current valleys, among them the beautiful Trettachtal. The Trettach stream originates south of Oberstdorf near the Trettachspitze and is about 14 km long. Nowadays the valley - almost car free - offers a more or less level, yet beautiful walk. We often made a round trip during our winter holidays in Oberstdorf. First following the river and passing the hamlets Gruben and Dietersberg, back along the golf course, the frozen Moorweiher and the historic Moorbad swimming pool.

Söllereck is family friendly ski area offering easy and intermediate ski runs with a total of 12 km of slopes. It has one cable car and four ski-lifts. At the base station is a large area for children. The Söllereck ski area is situated between the elevations of 1.000 and 1.450 m. The area is well known for its winter hiking trails. The main picture shows the view from the top of the Schrattenwanglift (1.450 m) looking down to Oberstdorf and the valley of the river Iller. The PiP shows the main down hill slope, which has a length of almost 2.800 m.

The Fellhorn/Kanzelwand ski area is located on the border between Germany and Austria. It has fourteen cable cars and lifts with a total of thirty-six kilometers of slopes. The winter sports area is situated between the elevations of 920 and 1.967 m. The main picture shows the view from the Obere Geren-Piste nearby the mountain station of the Fellhornbahn into Kleinwalsertal (Austria).

The river Breitach has cut a deep canyon into the rocks of the Bavarian Alps, almost on the border between Austria and Germany, just south of Oberstdorf. The most interesting part of the gorge is a couple of hundred meters long. On some places the steep walls are more than 100 meters high, where only very few spots ever get the sunlight. There is a secured path along the river, which on the narrowest places has been cut into the steep wall of the canyon. All around is water running down the rocks, gurgles in tiny rivers across the hiking trail into the Breitach. On other place waterfalls are coming down from the cliff walls. At the start of the trail there is still lush green vegetation, but the further you come the scene turns into barren rocks with the noise of the powerful water rushing and tumbling metres below the walkway. (Visited also in winter, which is of course quite different: www.ipernity.com/doc/294067/36423358/in/album/742620)

The legendary view from the Nebelhorn at a height of 2.224 m towards ‘400 mountain peaks’ with Zugspitze, Lechtaler Alps and Swiss mountains.

View from the trail from Hörnerbahn mountain station to Berghaus Schwaben into the Valley of the River Iller nearby Oberstdorf.

The huge village meadow of Oberstdorf is dotted with old barns. Being as flat as a pancake it is an ideal place for walking, biking and in winter for cross country skiing. The panorama - a stitch of three pictures - is showing the Allgäu Alps nearby Oberstdorf and in the background the ‘Lorettokapellen’ (PiP).

Oytal is a valley in the south of Oberstdorf and gets its name from the river Oybach. The valley is situated on an altitude of 1.000 meters. In the winter it ‘ends’ at the Berggasthof Oytalhaus, about 5 km’s from Oberstdorf. Besides walking and cycling (summer), one can take a carriage ride through this beautiful valley. Characteristic for the Oy valley is the avenue, lined with numerous mount maples, with a length of more than 1 km.

Our first morning ever in Oberstdorf. Can you imagine we fell in love with the town ??