GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN

market town, Bavaria Land (state), southern Germany. It lies at the junction of the deep Loisach and Partnach valleys, in the Bavarian Alps at the foot of the Zugspitze (9,718 feet ), which is the highest mountain in Germany. The town, a union of the two ancient villages of Garmisch and Partenkirchen, was chartered in 1935 and retains much of its rural character. Notable buildings are the medieval Old Church of St. Martin (Alte Kirche), the Baroque parish New Church of St. Martin in Garmisch, and the 18th-century Pilgrimage Church of St. Anton in Partenkirchen. Scene of the 1936 Winter Olympics, the town is a health and winter sports resort, with ski facilities, an Olympic skating rink, rack and cable railways, and summer mountain-climbing facilities. Pop. (1995 est.) 26,992.