Garmisch-Partenkirchen Village
Garmisch and Partenkirchen are spread out beneath a great horseshoe of jagged peaks formed by the Wettersteingebirge and Ammergauer mountain ranges.Partenkirchen, an ancient Roman settlement dating back to 15 BC, and Garmisch, with its more recent medieval roots, were officially joined (at Hitler’s insistence) to proclaim the 1936 Winter Olympics. The high-walled Olympic stadium, below the ski-jumps, looks much the same as it did almost 70 years ago; the original observation towers are still there. Garmisch and Partenkirchen are liberally dotted with cosy, rustic Stuben (bars) and welcoming tea-rooms, many of them quite ancient. Many of the delightful old buildings in the twin-towns have colourful “luftelmalerei” frescos on their outside walls.