A major fire broke out Friday night at the historic building known as the "Eagle's Nest," a mountaintop retreat once used by Adolf Hitler that has since become a popular tourist destination in Bavaria, southern Germany. Police said no one was injured in the blaze and that one person was arrested on suspicion of involvement in the incident.
About 200 firefighters were dispatched to battle the fire at the building, which stands more than 5,900 feet (1,800 meters) above sea level. Located above the town of Berchtesgaden in the Bavarian Alps, the site is particularly difficult to access.
(Photo: AFP)
(Photo: AFP)
Footage filmed shortly before dawn showed the building engulfed in flames. The fire later appeared to subside, although smoke could still be seen rising from the structure.
According to law enforcement officials, a smoke detector inside the building triggered the fire alarm at about 9:50 p.m. local time Friday. Firefighters responding to the call could see flames as they approached the scene. When they arrived, they found the building "completely engulfed in flames."
Police spokesperson Lisa Meyer said accessing the site and carrying out firefighting operations posed significant challenges. "The building can only be entered using heavy-duty respiratory protective equipment," she added. The cause of the fire remains unknown, but Meyer said "a criminal investigation is underway." Police also said that shortly after the fire began, "a suspicious individual came to investigators' attention."
The 'Eagle's Nest,' one of Hitler's favorite retreats
(Photo: BARBARA GINDL / APA / AFP)
Built between 1937 and 1938, the structure was part of the "Führer's restricted area" at Obersalzberg, one of Hitler's favorite retreats. It was intended to serve as a venue for official receptions, although Hitler himself rarely visited. The building, constructed from stone and granite to impress foreign diplomats, became known as the "Eagle's Nest" because of its location on a narrow rocky ridge called Kehlstein.
The building survived World War II undamaged. Since 1952, it has housed an exhibition documenting its Nazi-era history, alongside a restaurant operating on the premises.
First published: 11:31, 10.24.26