Fairytale Neuschwanstein Castle

Returning from a trip to Garmisch, Germany at the beginning of December we made a stop at Neuschwanstein Castle.  A fairytale castle located in the Bavarian Alps and overlooking the Hohenschwangau valley, Neuschwanstein is one of the most visited castles in Germany and one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe. Neuschwanstein literally means “New Swan Stone”.

The palace was commissioned by King Ludwig II as a retreat and as reverence to Richard Wagner. Ludwig paid for the palace out of his personal fortune and by means of extensive borrowing, rather than Bavarian public funds. The palace was intended as a personal refuge for the reclusive king, but it was opened to the paying public immediately after his death in 1886. Since then more than 61 million people have visited Neuschwanstein Castle.

We took a carriage ride up to the castle

Neuschwanstein castle was built in the 19^th century during a time when castles no longer had strategic and defensive purposes. The castle was equipped with state of the art technology of the time. For example on every floor of the castle there were toilets with automatic flushing system, as well as an air heating system for the whole castle. Neuschwanstein Castle consists of several individual structures, which were erected over a length of 150 meters on the top of a cliff ridge. The elongate building is furnished with numerous towers, ornamental turrets, gables, balconies, pinnacles and sculptures. 

View of Hohenschwangau Valley

 

In 1868, the ruins of the medieval twin castles were completely demolished; the remains of the old keep were blown up. The palace was erected as a conventional brick construction and later encased in various types of rock. The white limestone used for the fronts came from a nearby quarry. The construction of the castle began in 1869 and was originally projected to last three years. King Ludwig II wanted the castle to be perfect, so the immense building was not finished even at Ludwig's death in 1886.

 The Castle has a very beautiful inner garden surrounded by a walled courtyard. The castles interior is as beautiful as its outside. Ludwig II was a great admirer and supporter of Richard Wagner, the world-renowned composer. Neuschwanstein Castle was built in his honor and Wagner’s characters inspired many rooms in the castle’s interior. This fairytale look of Neuschwanstein castle inspired Walt Disney to create Sleeping Beauty’s Castle. 

View of Inner Courtyard

 

 

Many of the interior rooms remain undecorated, with only 14 rooms finished before Ludwig's death. With the palace under construction at the king's death, one of the major features of the palace was never built. A massive keep, which would have formed the highest point and central focus of the ensemble, was planned for the middle of the upper courtyard but was never built, at the decision of the King's family.