One of the most famous castles in world architecture is the Bavarian Neuschwanstein. According to legend, it was he who became the prototype of the castle, which is painted on the splash screen of the Walt Disney animation company. The unusual and tragic fate of the Bavarian King Ludwig the Second is inextricably linked with this building. But at the castle itself, fate is quite happy. Let's talk about the history of this architectural gem. And also about where Neuschwanstein Castle is located and how to get there better.
The Life of Ludwig the Second
The story of Neuschwanstein is impossible without a story about the life of Ludwig 2, the Bavarian king, who was the customer and ideological father of this building. The future king was born on August 25, 1845. His father was Maximilian the Second of the Wittelsbach dynasty. The boy’s childhood passed in the family castle of Hohenschwangau on a hill above the village of Schwangau. This locality is always indicated as the place where Neuschwanstein Castle is located. However, castles do not formally relate to the village, as they are located at some distance.
Ludwig grew up a romantic young man, passionate about different arts, and was far from politics and government. But the sudden death of his father forced him to ascend the Bavarian throne at age 18. From the very beginning of his reign, Ludwig 2 designated culture as his priority. He wanted to make the life of his people beautiful from an aesthetic point of view. He basically handed over the management of the state to his ministers, who carefully kept him out of business because Ludwig's ideas were very eccentric. For the huge expenditures of money from the state treasury for the implementation of his architectural designs, Ludwig was declared crazy. He retired to Berg Castle and very soon, under obscure circumstances, drowned in a lake near the castle. Thus ended the life of the dreamer king, but his creations live and bring Bavaria a serious income.
Ludwig's Dreams
From childhood, Ludwig was fascinated by the legends of King Arthur and the Knights of Parsifal and Lohengrin. He was a very poetic young man. And, when he ascended the throne, he decided to bring his favorite legends to life. In addition to stories about knights, he passionately loved Wagner's music, and therefore the history of Neuschwanstein Castle is an attempt to combine the beautiful tale of Swan Castle with the melody of the composer, who was supposed to live there to write music and to play and listen to beautiful compositions with Ludwig. Ludwig also dreamed of creating a kingdom of beauty in his country. Therefore, he began the construction of several magnificent residences in which he hoped to find the desired solitude in order to enjoy the beauty of nature and architecture, listen to music and read poetry. These dreams were very ruinous for the treasury and brought Ludwig a tragic end ..
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Castle concept
The castle was conceived as a Swan and a knight’s, and these themes determined its internal and external appearance. Ludwig in all his buildings proceeded from a single concept, which included the landscape, as well as architectural and interior solutions. The theme of swans became decisive for Neuschwanstein, it is implemented in every detail, right down to the design of door handles in the form of the heads of these beautiful birds and patterns on fabrics. Based on the place where Neuschwanstein Castle is located, its topography and history, the king thought over architectural and interior solutions.
Choosing a place of construction
When Ludwig's concept of future construction was born, then the place where Neuschwanstein Castle is located was chosen. Once there was a castle of his ancestors, and he bore the name Schwangau - swan. Therefore, Ludwig, the construction he built, was called New Schwangau. The name Neuschwanstein appeared after his death. It is located on a high cliff overlooking the beautiful Swan Lake. The place is in every sense sublime. It is located at an altitude of 1008 meters. The cliff offers exceptional views of the surroundings, and the castle itself against the background of the mountains looks very impressive. Like all buildings of Ludwig, Neuschwanstein is perfectly inscribed in the landscape. This location also made it possible to set up a large park around the castle with fountains and pavilions in the spirit of the chosen concept.
Castle architecture and construction
Ludwig wanted medieval traditions to be embodied in the new building, his royal power and aesthetic ideals reflected. He planned to create the ideal of beauty. Thus appeared Neuschwanstein Castle (Germany). Photos of this building are fascinating and fascinating today. This building, soaring up, seemed to be sheltered on the edge of the chasm. Very often the castle is shrouded in fogs, which are not uncommon in Bavaria. And this creates an additional romantic effect of the construction.
The architectural design of the castle was created by a theater artist. But Ludwig was so deeply immersed in the development of the project that we can say that this is his personal creation. The castle in its structure repeated the medieval buildings. The center of the composition is the throne room, and two wings of different purposes depart from it. The first is the entrance to the castle and public areas. The second is the house of the knights. The architecture of the castle mixed different styles and time periods, which was the spirit of the time, because the modern era was coming.
The first stone in the foundation of the castle was laid in 1869. The construction was slow due to the king’s requirement to use only special materials, as well as serious financial difficulties. The initial estimate assumed the project cost of 3.2 million marks. By the time the monarch died, seven million had already been spent on the castle. During the life of Ludwig, several rooms were built: the gate, the king’s private quarters, and some of the rooms on the second floor. In 1884, he decides to move to an unfinished castle. And after a year he dies, and work stops.
But after 6 weeks, the regent decides to open the castle to the public in order to at least somehow cover the costs. Also later some buildings are being completed. But the whole idea of Ludwig was never realized. The castle did not have a 90-meter tower with a church, the knight's hall was not completed, the park was not equipped, as the king dreamed. The work was stopped in 1886. And already in 1899, the debts for the construction were fully repaid. Today Neuschwanstein is one of the most visited sights in the world and brings substantial income to the treasury of Bavaria.
Castle Interiors
The interior of Neuschwanstein corresponds to his concept, everything here is an illustration of Wagner's operas. The interiors are made in the style of Byzantine saturated luxury. Every corner of the castle is a work of art. From ceiling and wall paintings to the incredible carved headboard over the king’s bed. The interiors of the castle are thought out in such a way that the views from the windows to the Alps and the lake become, as it were, the background for this beauty.
Today, an excursion to Neuschwanstein Castle allows you to see the main rooms and admire its luxury and scope of design. The most incredible in it is the throne room. Even though it was not completed, he makes a grandiose impression. Wall and ceiling paintings, huge chandeliers, carved furniture - everything was created specifically for the hall and in its ideological concept.
Tours in Neuschwanstein
Often the motive for a trip to Bavaria is precisely the desire to see Ludwig's castles. Many sightseeing tours to Germany are built around visiting these amazing buildings, and especially Neuschwanstein. From Munich you can get to the castle with a tour. They are sold by many tour agencies. The convenience of such tours is that there is no need to stand in line, which is always very large.
Excursions to the castle are the same for everyone. This is an organized movement of a group for a guide from hall to hall. You can’t hold back, take pictures too. The tour lasts about 45 minutes, which is very short for exploring such a magnificent building.
How to get there
Is it possible to visit Neuschwanstein Castle without a tour? How to get from Munich yourself there? These are the most common questions that tourists ask. It is possible, and very easy. From Munich, take the train or bus to the small town of Füssen. There directly from the station square there are buses to Schwangau, you can also take a taxi. And there, within walking distance, Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles, as well as Lake Alpsee. From Schwangau to the castle you need to go uphill, the path will take about 20-30 minutes along a beautiful forest road. Those who wish can make this journey on a horse-drawn cart.
Practical information
It is advisable to plan a visit to the castle in advance so as not to waste time in vain. A ticket worth about 12 euros can be bought on the website. Then you need to print it at the box office. Tickets for sessions, being late does not allow you to go with another group. To save money, you can use the integrated subscription to visit different Bavarian castles. There are family tickets.