1 post tagged “neuschwanstein”

(May 20, 2005)

Neuschwanstein was built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria around 1860. He was obsessed with Wagner and Germanic folklore, like Siegfried and Lohengrin the Swan-knight. Ludwig died, under mysterious circumstances, before the castle was completed. Shortly thereafter, the state of Bavaria opened it to the public, because Ludwig had bankrupted the treasury to build it. He even had another, more ornate castle in planning before he died. Both it and Neuschwanstein were designed by set designers, rather than architects. It is currently one of the most touristed spots in all of Germany.

Despite, or perhaps because of, his oddities, Ludwig was a very popular king. He was handsome, but he never married. He was briefly engaged, but they ended the troth. Modern Germans are entranced by Elisabeth (Sisi), empress of Austria-Hungary, who was kin to and a dear friend of Ludwig.

Neuschwanstein is easily accessible by train from Munich. You have to catch a bus in a little town called Füssen, which is nestled in the Bavarian Alps. The region was already loved for its beauty and hiking before Ludwig built his castle there. Another castle, Hohenschwangau, is at the foot of the mountain. I believe Ludwig I built that one.

There are several ways to get up to the castle. One is the basic road, which you can walk up or pay to take a horse carriage. Another is through the Gorge below. We took the Gorge road back. It was steep, twisty, and intimidating at times, but incredibly beautiful.