The most popular country for tourists with many fortresses and other historical monuments is Germany. Bavarian castles are among the most beautiful on the planet. One of the most interesting of them is the former residence of Ludwig the Second Bavarian - Hohenschwangau. More details about it will be discussed later.
Brief Background
The castle was erected on the ruins of the Schwanstein fortress. The first documentary memory of her dates from the twelfth century. Then she acted as a family estate of the Knights of Schwangau. Germany throughout its history has undergone a large number of internecine wars, so it is not surprising that the owners of the fortress changed repeatedly. In 1535, it was owned by adviser Paumgartner. Over the course of twelve years, he rebuilt it and called it a new name - Hohenschwangau. A few years later, for some unknown reason, the owner left his estate. As a result, the castle fell into decline. After a wave of Napoleonic wars swept across Europe, he, like many other fortresses and castles in Germany, generally turned into ruins. In this state, the building stood for several centuries, remaining surrounded by picturesque mountain slopes and green hills.
Base
In the first half of the nineteenth century, King Maximilian the Second chose this place. Most of all he was attracted by local landscapes. As a result, it was for their sake that he acquired the ruins for seven thousand guilders in 1832. Almost immediately after that, the reconstruction of the fortress began. As conceived by the new owner, it was to be erected in a medieval style, in the spirit of the sort of counts Schwangau. The castle was built over five years. The reconstruction of its halls was carried out by famous court artists. The author of the project was Domenico Qualho. Around the fortress appeared a massive stone wall with pointed peaks and decorative balconies. The real highlight of the castle was that it was painted yellow. This makes the structure highly visible against a bright green background.
Role for the royal family
The main building was intended for the residence of the owners - King Maximilian the Second and his wife, and the outbuilding - for their children. Hohenschwangau Castle almost instantly turned into a hunting and summer residence of the royal family. He was like a summer residence for her, in which both adults and children could enjoy solitude, tranquility and excellent nature. Maximilian the Second was an avid hunter, so he spent a lot of time here. After he died, his son Ludwig ascended the throne. He moved to the main building, where he lived with his mother, Queen Maria of Prussia, a big fan of mountain walks and fishing.
Ludwig the Second
The castle had a significant impact on the future king of kings - Ludwig the Second. This is not surprising, since the future ruler spent a significant part of his childhood and youth here. Even then, the walls of his rooms were decorated with scenes from legends from the Middle Ages. Many of them were dedicated to the swan knight named Lohengrin. Under the influence of this young man began to think about how he would build his own fortresses in the future. Be that as it may, among historians there is an opinion that he himself did not like this castle. This is not surprising, because the boy was brought up rigidly and ascetically. The future ruler grew up without affection and love. The only thing his parents didn’t save on was education. The best teachers of those times were invited to the fortress.
Castle today
Hohenschwangau Castle (Germany) to this day has not changed and is maintained in the same condition in which it was reconstructed in 1837. Compared to many other preserved fortresses in this country, it is very compact. The rooms are striking in their splendor. They can be called quite spacious. Statues and a large amount of gold were used to decorate the premises. In the exterior you can see different bas-reliefs. The courtyard is decorated with small fountains. In 1913, the fortress received the status of the National Museum. Since that time, like other sights of Bavaria, it has become open for tourists to visit freely. The facility is currently owned by the former Wittelsbach royal family.
Driving directions
In order to get to the fortress, it is initially recommended to go to Munich or Nuremberg. Next, take the train and get to the Füssen train station (in both cases, it will take about two hours). The distance from it to the castle is about five kilometers, so you can overcome it even on foot. However, bus traffic is also well established here. You need to get to the necessary destination by route number 78. On the same bus you can get to the other famous sights of Bavaria - Neuschwanstein Castle. These two objects are not far from each other. The one-way fare is 1.8 euros, and round trip - 2.6 euros.
Rooms and halls
One of the most significant rooms in the building is the Swan Knight's Hall. He got his name from a huge picture. It depicts the moment of arrival of Lohengrin to King Henry in order to protect the honor of the Duchess of Brabant. A knight swims ashore on a white boat led by a white swan. The hall is relatively small, however, on the other hand, it seems very spacious. This effect was achieved due to the color of the ceiling in a heavenly color. From above it is covered with beautiful gilded stucco molding, as well as a huge number of stars. On the walls you can see paintings written by court artists based on Viking sagas. Previously, this room was used as a dining room.
The largest room that Hohenschwangau Castle has is the Hall of Heroes and Knights. It stretched to the length of the entire structure. Gothic-style columns look especially impressive. The walls are decorated with large-scale murals dedicated to various events in the life of knights. In the very center stands a chic table on which golden cutlery is neatly laid out.
The eastern room represents the chambers of Queen Maria of Prussia. The room is decorated in an orientalist style. In general, the room is very comfortable. Next to the large bed there is a round table, which is covered with a tablecloth. Wall painting shows historical scenes from the life of the old fortress. It should be noted that here there are images of not only noble people, but also ordinary people. Next door is the Queen’s study, which is commonly called Berta’s room. It is decorated based on the legends of the birth of Charlemagne.
The Hohenstaufen Hall was originally used by Maximilian the second as a dressing room. However, after Ludwig became the owner of the castle, he converted the room into a music room. It is in it that today stands one of the greatest prides that Hohenschwangau Castle boasts, a maple-made piano, which Wagner himself played for the young king.
Tasso's room was first the bedroom of Maximilian the Second, and then Ludwig. Its main theme is The History of Armida and Rinaldo, which was written in the sixteenth century by the Italian Torquatto Tasso. It tells about the events of the first crusade, as a result of which the city of Jerusalem was captured by the crusaders. From the balcony of this room, Ludwig II watched through the telescope the process of erecting one of his most famous creations - Neuschwanstein Fortress, also known as the Swan Castle.
There is a home chapel on the bay window. Ludwig II personally engaged in its design. It should also be noted that it is decorated with two Russian icons.
Tourist attraction
The tour "Bavarian Castles" is one of the most popular among tourists visiting Germany. Her compulsory program includes a visit to Hohenschwangau. This majestic fortress, which rises among the green hills between the lakes Schwansee and Alpsee, annually attracts more than three hundred thousand visitors from all over the world. Nowadays, it is more reminiscent of an estate from the medieval era, which is surrounded by formidable fir trees. No matter how surprising it may sound, but Hohenschwangau Castle did not suffer at all during the two world wars.