Hello friends. Today I will take you on a short but hopefully interesting fairy tale journey. This tale was brought to life by Bavaria’s last king, Ludwig II, who was often called the Fairy Tale King by his contemporaries. When he ascended the throne at a young age, he had an incredible dream in his mind. He wanted to build a real fairy tale castle. Inspired by Wartburg Castle, he created a dream of his own. He planned to make it real in the southwest of Bavaria, very close to the Austrian border, right next to his family’s Hohenschwangau Castle. He named this new castle Neuschwanstein, which means New Swan Rock or New Swan Castle.
I really loved the view of the castle from Marienbrücke. For me, the most enchanting thing about this place is the scenery. It looks just like a fairy tale. Maybe that is why Disney took inspiration from Neuschwanstein for the Sleeping Beauty castle. The castle we all know from the classic Disney opening scene is actually this one.
According to our guide, construction started here in 1869. They first had to prepare the area, so the top of the rock was blasted and leveled. The rock was lowered by about eight meters. Then they connected the site to the road, installed a water system and began to build the castle.
Although the work continued at full speed, it was never fully completed and ended up costing twice as much as planned. The estimated budget was 3.2 million marks. In the end, the cost went beyond 7 million.
Unfortunately, Ludwig never saw the castle finished. After a military defeat, financial troubles began. Later, he was declared mentally unfit and removed from power. Then he was taken to another castle where he was kept under a kind of forced residence. I do not remember the name of that castle, but it was there that he died under mysterious circumstances. His body was found in a nearby lake. Some said it was suicide, others believed it was a conspiracy. The truth remains a mystery.
Neuschwanstein was officially completed in 1891. Ludwig never saw it finished, but he lived in the castle while it was under construction. Altogether, he stayed there for only 172 days. When they took him away for that forced residence, they even removed him straight from his bedroom.
Today the castle is open to visitors. It is one of the most visited places in Bavaria. The parts open to the public include several halls that were started during Ludwig’s time and completed after his death. The interior decoration is quite lavish, maybe even a bit exaggerated, but certainly impressive.
The main themes of the frescoes are Scandinavian and German legends. These legends also inspired the works of Richard Wagner, whom Ludwig strongly supported. Inside the castle, you can see scenes from Sigurd, the Nibelungen saga and other Wagner stories. For example, the story of Tristan and Isolde decorates Ludwig’s bedroom. The swan knight Lohengrin and Parsifal, the character Ludwig identified with, are also depicted here. Some say Ludwig himself inspired Wagner's Parsifal character.
The Throne Hall is fascinating because its architecture was modeled after Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. The study room is also quite remarkable. Actually, Neuschwanstein was a very modern castle for its time. Built at the end of the 19th century, it had plumbing, a sewage system, electricity, steel-framed windows, central heating and even an electric bell to call the servants.
The most impressive hall is the Hall of the Singers. The ceiling frescoes tell the stories of Parsifal. This hall was intended for concerts, although none were held here during Ludwig’s life. Some concerts took place later, but they were eventually discontinued. They only resumed on the 50th anniversary of Wagner's death.
At the end of World War II, the Reich’s gold was hidden here and later mysteriously disappeared. Some say the gold was buried in a nearby lake. There seems to be something about these lakes. Ludwig died in one and the gold disappeared in another. Art pieces seized by Hitler were also kept here, but their fate is still unknown.
The best viewpoint for the castle is Marienbrücke, a bridge named after Ludwig’s mother, Marie. It was renovated during Ludwig’s time and is still used today as a metal bridge. The best view of the castle is from the bridge and the best view of the bridge is from the castle.
If this is not enough for you, you can follow the rocky, root-covered path that starts from the bridge and climb even higher. From up there, the view is completely different.
I strongly recommend visiting this place. Breathe in the Alpine air, find peace in the sound of waterfalls and wander through the unique atmosphere of this utopian castle. Sadly, Ludwig never got to enjoy it as much as he dreamed.
I hope you liked this trip. If you did, make sure to add this place to your must-see list. After all, everyone loves fairy tales.🤗 See you.