Neuschwanstein in winter. Neuschwanstein, Germany. The mystical Neuschwanstein Castle is a preserved German fairy tale

The royal residence, which is one of the most important sights throughout Germany.

Neuschwanstein Castle. Part II

In the flow of hikers, we, without much haste, are approaching the Neuschwanstein castle. We are now and then overtaken by crawling horse-drawn carts. In every sound of horseshoes, a confident force is felt. Colorful Bavarian cabbies with feathers on traditional hats have repeatedly conquered Everest, if you add together all the ascents and descents between the valley and the fairy-tale castle ... Or rounded the equator. As anyone likes.

Everyone has to leave cars downstairs, in one of the parking lots in the village of Hohenschwangau, next to which is the first of the castles built here in the 19th century - Hohenschwangau. Bus stops are also located here. The influx of visitors, up to five thousand people a day, requires special clarity in organizing excursions. The procedure resembles the registration and service of air passengers.

Photo gallery: Neuschwanstein Castle

• Neuschwanstein Castle

  Neuschwanstein was founded by the will of the Bavarian King Ludwig II in 1869. Now more than 1.3 million tourists visit this castle in the Bavarian Alps every year.



Neuschwanstein Castle

View of the castle from the Marienbrücke bridge.



Neuschwanstein Castle

Sketch for the construction of the castle, created by theater artist Christian Jank in 1869 in accordance with the ideas of Ludwig II.



Neuschwanstein Castle

View of the Alps from Neuschwanstein Castle.



Neuschwanstein Castle

Bavarian king Ludwig II (1845 - 1886).



Neuschwanstein Castle

Columns and ceiling paintings in the Throne Room.



Neuschwanstein Castle

Apse of the Throne Room.



Neuschwanstein Castle

Throne room. Images of kings recognized as saints by the church.



Neuschwanstein Castle

The Hall of Singers at Neuschwanstein Castle on an 1890 postcard.



Neuschwanstein Castle

Throne room on a 1936 postcard.



Neuschwanstein Castle

Neuschwanstein and new technologies: a miniature copy of the castle, printed from marzipan mass on a 3D printer.



Neuschwanstein Castle

Two euro commemorative coin with the image of Neuschwanstein Castle and the inscription "Bavaria", 2012.



Neuschwanstein Castle

Neuschwanstein Castle is located in the Bavarian region of Schwangau. This photo was taken during the annual celebration dedicated to the memory of St. Coloman.



Neuschwanstein Castle

In the summer of 2015, the castle was illuminated with the colors of the flags of the G7 countries, the summit of heads of state and government of which was held in Bavaria.



Neuschwanstein Castle

Neuschwanstein in the mystical night fog.



Neuschwanstein Castle

This is what the Neuschwanstein area looks like in winter.

At the foot of the mountain on which Neuschwanstein is located, there is a kind of terminal. A ticket must be purchased at the bottom, that is, you must register and reserve a place in one of the groups before going up to the castle. The ticket will indicate the start time of the tour. It is designed so that you have time to walk up to the castle. This may take from 40 minutes to 60 minutes. At the entrance, each visitor is given an audio guide with a recording of the tour in a pre-selected language. Photography inside is prohibited.

From the observation deck, located not far from the castle, you can see how the snow-covered Alpine peaks are reflected in the cold mirror of the Alpsee mountain lake. It is said to be the cleanest in all of Germany. Crystal clear. This is quite believable. To the right, on the other hand, is a lush green field, in the center of which a white village church has grown out of the ground. Behind it is the village of Schwangau on the shores of Lake Forggensee. Paragliders circle in the sky above the valley and rocky cliffs.

Tchaikovsky and "Swan Lake"

To the left below is the neo-gothic silhouette of the castle, which we have already visited. From here it looks like a huge chess tower - a round forgotten by the giants after a centuries-old game. Nearby you can see another lake - the very Swan Lake (Schwansee), which seems to be the smallest in the area, but it is the most famous one. Last but not least, thanks to Tchaikovsky.

He visited Schwangau in 1876. In Moscow, he was commissioned a romantic ballet to symphonic music. Tchaikovsky recalled Richard Wagner's opera Lohengrin, based on the story of the Knight of the Swan. For inspiration, the composer went to Bavaria. Moreover, the rumor about the mysterious Bavarian monarch Ludwig II, who was so fascinated by this plot, has already reached Russia.

Since his student years, Tchaikovsky highly appreciated Wagner's music, was an admirer of it, and wanted to get to know the composer personally. Their meeting took place during this trip to Germany - a few days after the premiere of Wagner's "Ring of the Nibelungen" in Bayreuth ... The famous Wagner Festival in Bayreuth owes its existence - in addition to Wagner himself - to Ludwig II, whose money in this cozy town on the "Green Hill" a theater was erected for operas by his favorite composer.

LudwigIIand Wagner

In February 1861, the 16-year-old Prince Ludwig was the guest of the premiere of Wagner's opera Lohengrin, held in Munich on his birthday. This event is considered a key one in his childhood, when the images formed in his mind during many hours of looking at paintings and murals in his father's castle of Hohenschwangau were embodied on the stage.

By the will of fate, a few years later, in 1864, 18-year-old Ludwig, after the sudden death of his father, ascends to the Bavarian throne. A few months later, his first personal meeting with Wagner takes place. It becomes the beginning of a close friendship. The composer at this time is experiencing financial difficulties. Ludwig pays his debts, becomes a patron of the arts, although this is far from being approved by everyone in Bavaria itself.

A subtle art connoisseur, a mystic, a controversial and extraordinary personality, Ludwig sought refuge in the world of Wagnerian operas, myths and legends that surrounded him from childhood. Ludwig dreamed that Wagner would write his operas in his new "Swan Castle", but this dream was not destined to come true.

"Lohengrin", "Swan Lake" ... This stock of stories, directly or indirectly related to the Alpine region of Schwangau and its castles, does not end there. The next example, which cannot be ignored, is an example of a modern interpretation of cultural and architectural heritage.

Following in the footsteps of Sleeping Beauty

Tourists who have already been to Disneyland Paris before visiting Neuschwanstein, having arrived in the Bavarian Alps, are faced with the phenomenon of deja vu. However, like everyone who saw "Sleeping Beauty" ("Sleeping Beauty") - a full-length animated film by Walt Disney, released in 1959. Or at least the emblem of his studio.

Neuschwanstein was the source of creative inspiration for the creation of the screen lock. To confuse things even more, let's add that the music from Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake" sounds in the film. Here is such a completely "Wagnerian" gezamtkunstwerk turns out - a cumulative and universal work of art. Although, probably, the great composer would hardly have agreed with such a free interpretation of his term.

It should be noted that the real Sleeping Beauty castle, if we can talk about it at all, is located in France, and not in Germany. The prototype for the castle in Charles Perrault's fairy tale, published in 1697, was the Château d "Ussé", built in the 15th century in the Loire Valley in the style of the early Renaissance. The German version of the fairy tale - "Dornröschen" by the Brothers Grimm - appeared in 1812, and Neuschwanstein Castle was built even later and without any thought of the Sleeping Beauties.

Like fairy tales, Usse and Neuschwanstein castles are similar, but there is no direct connection between them. In addition, Neuschwanstein does not have a single prototype. It is a product of fantasy and synthesis, which arose in the era of historicism, during which architects and artists freely used and combined the styles of the previous centuries. Neuschwanstein is an extreme manifestation of this eclecticism. This is its attractive power. Or repulsive force - depending on the point of view.

It turns out that for the cartoon and the fake castle in Disneyland, they took as a basis a castle built according to sketches for a theatrical scenery, moreover, from another opera, Lohengrin (we talked about this in the first part of the report), and not an authentic Renaissance castle in France. This is probably quite logical, since it is in vain to look for logic here. The main thing is feelings and associations.

In appearance, the main architectural styles of Neuschwanstein, which are recognizable to the naked eye, are Neo-Renaissance and Neo-Gothic. Even more styles can be found in the interior decoration, including Neo-Baroque and Moorish.

If a real Renaissance castle - the French Usse, by the will of the writer and according to legend, turned out to be the scene of a fairy tale, then the eclectic Neuschwanstein, on the contrary, grew up on fairy tales - it was built to embody legends in stone and interior decoration. Neuschwanstein is the scenery for the performance, the premiere of which, by and large, never took place due to the death of the director and the main spectator in one person, although the "general rehearsals" were in full swing.

The mysterious death of the "fairytale king"

Ludwig II died after living in the still unfinished castle for only 172 days. By the time of his death, only one third of the premises had been completed. Ludwig II passed away under tragic and mysterious circumstances.

On June 8, 1886, a medical commission in Munich declared him mentally ill. Without personal inspection and testimonies of witnesses. A few days later, Ludwig II, who was in Neuschwanstein, was declared incompetent by the government, taken under guard and taken to Berg Castle on Starnberg Lake. On June 13, in the evening, he went for a walk along the shore with psychiatrist Professor Bernhard von Gudden (Bernhard von Gudden). A few hours later, their bodies were found in the water.

Ludwig II was given a magnificent funeral, and he himself is still considered the personification of the good Bavarian monarch - "the only true king of the XIX century", as the French poet Paul Verlaine said about him. The police investigation of the tragic incident was not particularly thorough. According to one version, Ludwig could not bear the humiliation, he wanted to drown himself. The professor tried to stop him. But there were no witnesses, so any options are possible. A version of a secret conspiracy involving courtiers is widespread. Ludwig's death is even called "the most mysterious murder of the 19th century." The spot where his body was found in the water is now marked with a large wooden cross.

Without suspecting it, having spent huge funds from the state treasury to realize his fantasies, Ludwig II made a very profitable investment in the future of his beloved

Bavaria - the current federal state, so popular in our time among tourists from all over the world. He gave her one of the main tourist attractions.

See also:
Lake near Neuschwanstein Castle disappearing in winter

Before us - one of the most famous Alpine regions of Germany. To the right, on a mountain slope in the Schwangau region, is the fairy-tale castle of the Bavarian king Ludwig II Neuschwanstein, barely visible in this picture ...



Forggensee - the largest reservoir in Germany

However, today, as an exception, we are not interested in this world-class attraction, but in one of the local lakes - Forggensee.



Forggensee - the largest reservoir in Germany

Forggensee is the fifth largest lake in Bavaria and the largest reservoir in all of Germany, with an area of ​​​​up to 16 square kilometers - depending on the filling. It is named after one of the flooded settlements - Forggen farm.



Forggensee - the largest reservoir in Germany

The first plans for the construction of a reservoir in these places appeared at the end of the 19th century, then they were again considered between the two world wars, but were implemented only in the 1950s.



Forggensee - the largest reservoir in Germany

Initially, they wanted to make the water level a few meters higher, but then a lot of people would have to be relocated, not to mention the loss of agricultural land. In the end, about 250 people and a dozen peasant farmsteads moved to new places in the neighborhood.





Forggensee - the largest reservoir in Germany

By the beginning of June, enough water is collected to start pleasure trips on the lake on two tourist boats - "Allgoe" and "Füssen" - until October 15th. In turn, in this photo - one of the parking lots for yachts.



Forggensee - the largest reservoir in Germany

The exception was 2018, when the Forggensee was not filled due to scheduled dam repairs. So tourists could walk along the bottom of the lake not only in winter, but all summer. However, now the water has returned ... so to speak, back to normal.



Forggensee - the largest reservoir in Germany

In the winter months, walking along the bottom of the lake, you can see not only the foundations of flooded houses, but also traces of the ancient Roman road Via Claudia Augusta. This photo was taken in early December 2017, when the water was not completely drained.

Forggensee - the largest reservoir in Germany

With or without a reservoir, but looking at these photos, you understand why King Ludwig II chose this romantic place to build his fabulous residence. However, in the vicinity of the castle there are also three beautiful natural lakes - Alpsee, Schwansee and Banwaldsee.

Neuschwanstein - useful information for tourists!

Are you in Germany or are you already in Bavaria, and the main attraction of these places is Neuschwanstein Castle , that's exactly what this article will talk about. Yes, here you will find the best photos Neuschwanstein castle and get as much information as possible. And yet, we advise you to visit the German saunas after the castle) there will be a good end to the day !!! We read and plunge into the world of adventure with meaning !!!

The mystical Neuschwanstein Castle is a preserved German fairy tale

And if you choose a good angle for shooting, you can
capture the majestic walls of an architectural wonder against the backdrop of a massive rock. However, no matter where you look, when you climb higher, the panoramas around the castle open up incredible ...

But let's start from the very beginning. I mean, since the beginning of this story

Pro Neuschwanstein Castle many say so - indescribable.
This is true: almost every hall, every arch and ledge, every turret or column, bay window or arcade attracts attention, forcing you to peer into bizarre details.

The castle is surprisingly well preserved, although it was built at the end of the 19th century. Even Ludwig II of Bavaria planned the construction of a castle on a plateau, for which the rock was blown up, a place was created for the construction of the foundation. The rock level was cut off by about 8 meters.

The best attraction in Bavaria - Neuschwanstein

We will talk about the role of this person in the history of the construction of the castle below. The king was so reverent about the process that he looked through every drawing and diagram: not a single idea escaped his attention.

As a result, the castle was actually recognized as the work of his hands.

Construction began in 1869, Ludwig moved into it in 1884, and died six months later. Construction continued without him.

What is special about the interiors of Neuschwanstein Castle?

For this very reason, Germany is literally dotted with magnificent and massive castles, many of which are, like Neuschwanstein to architectural monuments.
It is curious that some of the castles cannot be restored with state money, so the castles are leased or even sold. It would be nice to become the owner of a real medieval kingdom, wouldn't it? But we digress a little.

Yes, and even buy part of the territory of Neuschwanstein Castle impossible: it is a museum, and the entrance to its territory is paid, it costs €13. A single person lives in the castle: he also guards it.

So, the Singing Hall (Hall of Singers) in Neuschwanstein- the key idea of ​​the whole ensemble. All other enfilades and buildings are located, as it were, around the central hall.

The room is decorated with canvases depicting the events of the mystical legend of Parzival: it was she who inspired Richard Wagner to write his work about Lohengrin, the swan knight.

The king wholeheartedly wanted the castle to be worthy of the events of a majestic and touching legend, to reflect the ideology and outline of the myth, so Yank led the process: his rich experience in working on theatrical scenery served him well.

To this day, artists and architects from all over the world come to the castle to draw inspiration from the fine and filigree work of the artist.
By the way, the swan is the heraldic bird of the counts of Schwangau, and the father of Ludwig,
Maximilian II of Bavaria, considered himself the successor of this family.

It is worth noting that just as Ludwig was inspired to build by appreciating the Wartburg castles, Neuschwanstein in turn became a source of inspiration for the composer Tchaikovsky, who later wrote the music for the ballet Swan Lake.
The entire interior is made in the Neo-Gothic style, the castle has a lot of blue-painted frescoes, arches, columns, balustrades and capitals: King Ludwig was very fond of the pale turquoise color.

The castle is 135 meters long and 65 meters high.
The throne room is quite impressive, although it is not completed to the end. The whole atmosphere here has a religious connotation: above the empty throne are depicted six kings, ranked among the saints.

There are also images of Christ, the Virgin Mary, 12 apostles. In general, the castle has about 360 halls: there is where to look.

How to get to Neuschwanstein Castle

If you are not renting a car, take the train from Munich Station to
Füssen, the town is just almost on the border with Austria. There are either direct trains or with transfers: in this case, you will need to get off at Buchloe station.

The train ride will take approximately 2 hours. Then take bus number 73 (direction - Steingaden / Garmisch-Partenkirchen) or number 78 (direction - Schwangau). You reach the village of Hohenschwangau, where the castle of the same name is located.

You will find the bus stop following the signs. Upon arrival in Hohenschwangau, you need to get to the castle on foot, but you can take a special shuttle bus or pay for riding a horse and cart.

As already mentioned, the entrance to the museum Neuschwanstein- paid, costs €13. The entrance to the castle is carried out in groups, so there are usually queues here. While you are in line, you can go around the castle and take pictures to your heart's content.
The castle is open from 8:00 to 17:00 (from April to September), and in the winter season - 9:00 to 15:00. On Christmas (December 24 and 25) and New Year (December 31 and January 1) the museum is closed.

Video about Neuschwanstein Castle from YouTube channel

What to do before coming to Neuschwanstein Castle

The Bavarian Alps abound with century-old trees with lush crowns, picturesque landscapes, picturesque
panoramas.

Firstly, there are many cafes, shops with souvenirs, information kiosks, cash desks, selling ice cream and drinks in the vicinity.

A beer tavern was built almost in front of the castle. Here you can rest, refresh yourself, taste delicious German beer.

If you go up the slope to the castle, horse-drawn carts go along the same road, which will overtake you every now and then. The road to the castle is gentle and not very difficult, you can climb up even with a baby stroller.

As you go up, you can see the Hohenschwangau castle and the Alpsee lake. From the observation platforms near the castle you can see small lakes and another large one - Schwansee. If you go around the castle from the back, you can see the Straussberg mountain in Austria.

Panoramas in the vicinity of the castle deserve a separate description. They are probably even more impressive than the interior of the building.
From the nearby Marienbrücke Bridge, you have a magnificent view of the castle: you can see it
from here in every detail.

Before going to the castle, make sure you have trekking shoes. Around the castle there are special routes marked with a red flag. These are steep slopes and paths riddled with rhizomes of trees. In shoes with heels and sandals, you simply will not pass there comfortably.

And for dessert, we enclose a personal review from an avid traveler that will allow you to immerse yourself in the atmosphere Neuschwanstein.

Neuschwanstein at night - how does it feel?

I've always wondered what it would feel like to be around Neuschwanstein castle at night time. During the day I have been there often, and at all times of the year, but at night - never!
And then the case turned up: we arrived at the hotel at eight o'clock in the evening and decided to ride to the castle.

Those who have been to this place imagine that the car park is downstairs
mountains, on which the Neuschwanstein castle flaunts, and of course, that at that time of day there was practically no one there. Having approached the road that leads to the castle, I found that a prohibition sign was hanging there, and I understood that I was in Germany, where it would not be possible to negotiate with the police, but the desire to climb to the castle was stronger than the fear of punishment!

Neuschwanstein Castle at night - how to get there?!

Night Neuschwanstein it even seemed scary: the very silence and disturbing light in the only window frightened. A huge castle in the Alpine mountains with a rich history - and we, a company of travel lovers, who decided to experience new feelings from the night and bewitching view of the old castle. On foot, we approached the very entrance: naturally, everything was closed, but we continued our walk.
I was very curious: why is the light on, who is in the castle, and is it possible to spend the night here for a fee? I wanted to go into the past and feel the flavor of that era.

Mysterious story from night Neuschwanstein

IN night walk in Neuschwanstein I was always lagging behind the company, since from time to time
time to take pictures. While I was looking for another new shooting point near the main entrance to Neuschwanstein, I heard the sound of a door opening. Then I saw a man who let a lady out of the castle.

Oh-oh! Now I have even more questions: what was the lady doing in the castle at night, and who is this man? He escorted the lady a little, who literally slipped past me, and I stood with the camera and looked at them.

The German stopped beside me and began to ask questions that I did not understand at all. He understood this, and gestures were used. It was clearer: he persistently twisted his hands in front of him, pretending to drive a car. It was clear: they ask me how I got here and why.

I showed the camera and tried to portray that I arrived here on foot, fingering in the air with two fingers. From the expression on the German's face, it was clear that he was simply stunned.
We didn't have any further conversation.

Too bad I don't know German! I would have fished out all the information from him, not forgetting to ask how to get into Neuschwanstein at night bypassing the rules. But I had to bow out. The mysterious story will remain a mystery to me.
This curious event left a pleasant aftertaste from a night walk. Adventures are always good. The main thing is that they have a happy ending.

The king of fairy tales, as his adoring subjects said. The only real king of the 19th century, according to the poet Paul Verlaine, and the mad king, from the point of view of his ministers - all these epithets refer to the eccentric King Ludwig II of Bavaria, whom many revere and criticize to this day.

Neuschwanstein Castle in winter.

Anyone who has visited the most exquisite creation of Ludwig II - Neuschwanstein Castle - or even just seen it in numerous photographs and postcards, is likely to find that the king is indeed more worthy of praise than blasphemy. It was this pseudo-medieval-style castle with many battlements on the walls and spiers that appear like a ghost in the middle of an evergreen forest surrounded by snow-capped mountain peaks that inspired Walt Disney to create fairy tales.

Drawing for the project of the castle, made in 1869.

Nineteen-year-old Ludwig became King of Bavaria in 1864. Fascinated by the historical legends of the Sun King, the grandeur of Versailles, and the music of Wagner, he shared the composer's obsessive passion for the idealized images of the German Middle Ages.

Ludwig II (left) with his parents and younger brother Otto, photographed in 1860.

Composer Richard Wagner, 1861.

The legends at the heart of Wagner's operas - the saga of Parsifal and the Holy Grail, the Nibelungenlied and the tale of the Knight of the Swan, Lohengrin - became the subject of cycles that adorned the halls of Neuschwanstein, one of Ludwig's three castles.

This work, which was directed by the architects Riedel and Dolman, was based on the plans of the theater artist Jank. Construction began in 1869 and ended in 1886 when the king died. It was because of this that the chambers of the upper floors remained empty and bare. In June of that year, Ludwig's ministers accused him of wasting public funds on ever more insane and eccentric architectural chimeras (the charges may not have been unfounded). The government forced the leading psychiatrist of Bavaria to declare the king mentally ill and incompetent without a personal examination.

Neuschwanstein castle interior.

Berg Castle, 1886

From Neuschwanstein, Ludwig was taken with respectful insistence to Berg Castle on Lake Starnberg, where he was closely guarded.

Cross at the site of the death of Ludwig II, Lake Starnberg.

On the second day of the king's stay at Berg Castle, his body and the body of his doctor were found in the shallow waters of Lake Starnberg at 23:00. Earlier, at 18:30 on the same day, Ludwig II and Professor von Gudden went for a walk. No one else saw them alive. According to the official version, the doctor tried to prevent the suicide of the king and at the same time drowned himself, although the depth of the lake did not exceed 1.2 m.

King in later years of his life.

The king's cousin, the Austrian Empress Elisabeth of Bavaria (also known as Sisi) - perhaps Ludwig's closest friend - belongs to the only correct explanation of these events: “The king was not insane. He was just an eccentric person and lived in the world of his dreams. He could have been treated more mercifully."

Neuschwanstein castle interior.

The Allgäu area in Bavaria was of great strategic importance in the Middle Ages, so there were once four castles there. It was here that Ludwig decided to build his "delicate whipped cream toy". Preliminary drawings by Count von Pocci and Christian Janck show that the central part of Neuschwanstein was modeled after Wartburg Castle. Ludwig II insisted that the building blend in with its surroundings.

From spring to autumn, an amazing amount of building materials was brought here. In 1879-1880 alone, over 5,000 tons of Nürthing sandstone, over 510 tons of Salzburg marble and 400,000 bricks were needed for the construction. The entire façade was finished with limestone from Alterschrofen.

The furnishing and finishing of the interiors were carried out by architects who also specialized in theatrical scenery, stone carvers, painters and ceramics specialists. The total cost of the castle exceeded 6 million marks. His chambers are varied and extremely magnificent.

Most of them are decorated with paintings in which the heroes of the Germanic sagas and the sacred kings of Germany come to life. Characteristic in this sense is the Throne Room with its mixture of Gothic, Romanesque and Byzantine mosaic decorations and a crown-shaped bronze chandelier weighing over a ton.

The pieces of furniture are made in the Neo-Gothic style popular in that era. In addition to all this, the building, by decree of the king, was equipped with the latest technology - for example, electric bells and a fully functional kitchen.

Neuschwanstein Castle - treasure of the Alps At first glance at this castle, it seems that someone has forgotten their toy here - the ivory-colored towers of Neuschwanstein seem so unreal, floating against the background of dark green firs. Although if you get closer, the feeling of fabulousness is unlikely to let go, because hundreds of little things will become visible, completely out of line with the reality of the alpine slopes that give the background to this German fairy tale ... You can get here by walking along the path that starts at the foot of another picturesque castle - Hohenschwangau. Where a rock suddenly appears from the forest, and the slope is so steep that it seems insurmountable - this is where this castle stands. Unfortunately, today crowds of tourists arrive here, and the queue of those wishing to visit this miracle stretches for half a kilometer - after all, this castle is the most frequently photographed and most visited building in Bavaria by tourists ...

In summer, excursions around the castle are a little shorter than in winter, because otherwise it would simply be impossible to serve the entire innumerable flow of tourists who are eager to get into a fairy tale for at least a couple of hours. Therefore, it is better to visit Neuschwanstein in autumn or even in winter - the views are no less spectacular, and there are many fewer tourists).
Neuschwanstein Castle was erected at the direction of the "fairytale king" Ludwig II, who did not like Munich very much, but who loved to build, as Feuchtwanger wrote, "expensive, luxurious castles in various hard-to-reach areas." And all his buildings turned out to be amazingly beautiful, like in a fairy tale, for which the king was nicknamed “fabulous”.
Unlike Ludwig I and Maximilian II, Ludwig II built not for the public, but for himself, and even sometimes thought about ordering the demolition of the castle he built after his death.
Ludwig II began to dream of his own miracle castle as a child. From an early age, he loved to participate in theatrical performances and dress up. The royal family spent summers at Hohenschwangau, the family estate of Schwangau, which Ludwig's father Maximilian II acquired in 1833. A bit of a romantic himself, Maximilian hired not an architect, but a stage designer to work on the restoration project of the castle.

Construction of the castle began in 1869 and continued until 1886. It was dedicated to the knight Lohengrin and was originally conceived as a three-story Gothic fortress. By the way, Neuschwanstein literally translates as “New Swan Rock”.
Gradually, the project underwent changes, until the castle turned into a five-story building in a romantic style, which, according to Ludwig II, most corresponded to the legend.
Ludwig II spared no expense in bringing his fantasies to life, so the best craftsmen, painters, sculptors and wood carvers were hired to work in Neuschwanstein and elsewhere. Unfortunately, his construction projects devastated the state treasury and interfered with the performance of his royal duties, which later became the determining factor in his fate.
Neuschwanstein Castle stands on the site of two fortresses - front and rear Schwangau. Ludwig II ordered at this place to lower the plateau by about 8 m by blasting the rock and thereby create a place for the construction of a “fabulous palace”.
After the construction of the road and the laying of the pipeline, on September 5, 1869, the foundation stone of the huge castle was laid. The construction was entrusted to the court architect Eduard Riedel, and the Munich master Christian Jank embodied his plans in artistic forms, the so-called “veduta” (paintings).
In 1869-1873 the gates were built. The private chambers of the king on the third floor, as well as comfortable rooms on the second floor, contributed to the convenience of the entire building.
Beginning in 1873, construction work was carried out at a very intense pace. In 1883, the construction of the palace was completed, the decoration of the 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th floors was also completed. In the spring of 1884, the king could already live in his chambers on the 4th floor, where Ludwig II spent a quarter of the time in the last two years before his death.
It is difficult to imagine what problems then had to be faced and how much building material was required, because only one cement manufacturer, Jakob Lang from Schongau, provided at least 450 tons of cement in 1872, and the Unhoch company delivered 1 845 hectoliters of lime.
Salzburg marble was used for windows, arches, columns and capitals. A huge amount of building material was lifted from the west side of the building in trolleys using a steam-powered crane - they were delivered and installed in the right place using a special system of lifting blocks.
In 1880, 209 carpenters, masons and auxiliary workers were involved in the construction.
After the death of the king, all construction work was suspended, as a result of which the third floor of the castle and the knight's quarters were not completed, and the main 90-meter tower of the castle with a Gothic-style church, which was supposed to rise above all buildings, was not built at all. The western terrace, which was supposed to lead to the unfinished bath, was not finished either.
Despite the fact that from a distance the castle seems like a toy, in reality it has a very impressive size. Eyewitnesses claimed that fifteen master carvers worked on the manufacture of Ludwig II's carved wooden bed in the Gothic style, topped with intricate and fragile wood carvings, for four and a half years. The picture decoration of the royal bedroom is devoted mainly to the story of Tristan and Isolde, who deeply impressed the 20-year-old king. The opera of the same name by Richard Wagner was staged in 1865 during the stay of King Ludwig II in Munich.
The small chapel of Ludwig II adjoins the bedroom. It is dedicated to Saint Louis - King Louis of France - after whom the monarch was named. A richly carved folding altar is cut into the painted lancet vault.
The castle gives the impression of a theatrical scenery, and partly is it, since it was created under the active guidance of the Munich theater artist Christian Jank. As a result, various architectural and artistic styles intersect in the interior of the castle - a combination of Moorish, Gothic and Baroque elements: here are stalactite columns, a throne room in the decadent-Byzantine spirit, and a singing hall with exquisite lighting, intended for staging Wagnerian operas. Each hall of the castle is a hymn to Wagner's operas, the heroes of German legends. The architects Dollmann and Riedel created Neuschwanstein inspired by the castles on the Rhine and the citadel at Nuremberg. At the same time, the entire building was equipped with the most advanced heating system for that time, and the kitchen had running water with cold and hot water. Unfortunately, the castle was never completed, so today only the fourth and fifth floors can be viewed.
On the fourth floor there is a vaulted vestibule in the form of a trapezoid, the floor of which is composed of two million pebbles of a mosaic depicting flora and fauna. In total, the castle contains more than 360 halls, and the abundance of gold, jewelry and swans creates a heavy and pompous atmosphere. The Neuschwanstein throne room is reminiscent of the hall in the Grail castle from the opera Parsifal. Although the Throne Room was never completed, it is without a doubt the most impressive interior room in the castle. In it, the king wanted to sing the grace of God. A basil-like bookmark with a special niche for the throne was supposed to speak of a religious connection between God and the king. The floor plans, in a sumptuous Byzantine style, were created by Eduard Ille and Julius Hoffmann. This is a two-tiered hall with long rows of columns, decorated with imitation porphyry and lapis lazuli. Particularly beautiful in this room is the mosaic floor by Deton from Vienna. On its surface is a celestial globe with images of animals and plants. The columns of the lower and upper parts of the throne room are made of artificial marble. The lower part of the columns is purple, the upper part is made of artificial lapis lazuli. The Throne Hall ends with a semicircle of a gilded apse. Nine steps of Carrara marble lead to a platform where a throne of gold and ivory was supposed to stand. However, this was no longer destined to come true ... Under the shining blue firmament of the dome, Christ sits, surrounded by Mary and John, and below are the saint-kings: Casimir, Stephen, Henry, Ferdinand, Edward and Louis, made by the hand of Wilhelm Hausschild. To the right and left, next to the marble staircase, are depicted 12 apostles - bearers of God's will. The precious candelabra in the shape of a Byzantine crown made of gilded copper weighs 18 centners and holds 96 candles.
The living room (or Grand Salon) contains the symbol of the legend of Lohengrin, the swan knight, with whom the king liked to compare himself - a vase in the form of a swan. Once, due to an oversight, water was poured into a vase, and it was possible to pour it out only by turning the massive work of art over. But the risk of breaking the wonderful vase in this case would be too great, and then they decided to sacrifice one swan's paw in order to save the entire vase from destruction and rid it of the already pretty rotten water. As a result, the swan's paw was broken off and water poured out of the hole, like from a tap.
In the Hall of Singers under the king, no one sang - only in our time wonderful concerts began to be held here. Since 1933, classical music concerts have been held in Neuschwanstein as part of the Wagner Festival. Today they are held only in September, and tickets are sold out long before the start of the festival. The Hall of Singers is a copy of the hall of the Gothic castle in the Wartburg. The ceiling of the hall is decorated with wooden panels with patterns and images of the signs of the Zodiac. Wonderful ornaments adorn the walls of the hall, as well as the Singing Arcade. Directly under the Hall of Singers is an artificial grotto with stalactites and stalagmites appropriate in such cases. Now there is no water in it, although originally there was a small cascade. The royal kitchens are also located here - gigantic rooms, where, it seems, numerous servants and cooks are still scurrying around.
On the ground floor there is a spacious royal kitchen with ovens and braziers, cutting tables and dishes polished to a shine. In order not to disturb the privacy of the king during the meal, a special mechanism was designed to transport the laid table from the kitchen to the dining room. The oak-paneled dining room is decorated with paintings by Ferdinand Riloti and Josef Aigner. They depict the minnesingers, as well as scenes from the legendary song contest at the Wartburg in 1207.
From the windows of the castle and from the platform in front of the entrance to it, views of the magnificent landscapes of Upper Bavaria open up.
By the way, another castle higher in the mountains was supposed to become part of the picturesque view, the construction plan of which was never implemented.
In the end, the Bavarian government decided to get rid of the grandiose construction costs of the eccentric king, and, consequently, from himself. In accordance with the plan developed in the highest circles, on June 9, 1886, the most famous Munich psychiatrist Bernard von Gudden, having stocked up with the signatures of three more doctors who had never seen the king in his eyes, declared Ludwig mentally ill. Ludwig was well aware of the danger looming over him, but, nevertheless, he chose to go towards his death. The king was taken under guard from Neuschwanstein to the small castle of Berg on the shores of Lake Starnberg. There, the “sick man” behaved very calmly, and he was allowed to go for a boat ride, accompanied by Dr. von Gudden, without guards. When the king and the doctor did not return for dinner, they rushed to look for them. The bodies were found a couple of hours later. No witnesses to the incident were found. There are at least three versions of what happened that day on the lake: 1. The official version. Ludwig, who thought about suicide more than once, believed that the best way to die was to drown himself, since the body would not be crippled. On that day, he decided to leave this hated world, but the doctor tried to interfere with the king, for which he paid with his life ... 2. Ludwig, being an excellent swimmer, planned to escape, but the doctor actively objected and was killed in a fierce battle, experienced impressions were enough of a blow ... 3. Both the doctor and the king were drowned by members of the conspiracy from the cabinet of ministers or Ludwig's relatives, wanting to bring Ludwig's uncle, Prince Luitpold, to power as regent for the feeble-minded heir to the throne, Prince Otto ... After the death of the king, all construction and decoration of Neuschwanstein's interiors stopped, the castle was declared a national treasure and has been carefully preserved since then, being a special pride of the Bavarians, who once killed the dreamer who built it ...
The spectacle of the life of Ludwig II ended here, work stopped here against the will of the king and the will of the inhabitants of the nearby village ...
According to rumors, during the years of Nazism, one of the “ideological” divisions of the Third Reich was located in the castle, which studied the occult, the Nibelungs, runes and the German spirit. But even the Nazis, who brutally persecuted all sexual minorities, recognized that the romanticism of King Ludwig II was above all his vices.
At the end of World War II, part of the Reichsbank gold was kept in Neuschwanstein Castle, and in the last days of the war, the gold was taken away to an unknown destination. According to rumors, it was drowned in the nearby lake Alat. The castle also kept stolen jewelry, paintings, furniture, which were intended for Hitler's personal collection.
Tchaikovsky was once fascinated by the sight of Neuschwanstein, and it is here, as some historians believe, that the idea for the ballet Swan Lake was born.
Often, due to its high-altitude location, the castle is shrouded in Alpine fog... At such moments, it seems as if it is floating in the void...

Higher in the mountains above the gorge hung the romantic Marienbrücke bridge. The suspension bridge, even older than Neuschwanstein, is stretched 92 meters above a 45-meter waterfall. Originally a wooden bridge, replaced in 1866 with a modern metal structure, it takes its name from the mother of King Ludwig II, Queen Mary, Princess of Prussia. This bridge offers impressive views of the castle and surroundings, as well as a 45-meter waterfall.
By the way, Neuschwanstein Castle was the inspiration for the construction of the Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland Paris.

Writes chistoprudov Having risen at 4 in the morning, we set off for 350 km from Landau almost to the very border with Austria - to Southern Bavaria at the foot of the Alps. There, on one of the cliffs near the town of Füssen and the village of Schwangau, is the most popular tourist attraction in Bavaria - the royal castle of Neuschwanstein. Every year about a million tourists come to look at the creations of Ludwig II!

1. Center of Fussen. Here is the railway station and a large information center for tourists. We didn’t have time to walk around the city and we immediately went to Schwangau to the castles, although the town itself is very nice.

2. It turned out that we arrived too early, we could have slept an hour longer.

3. In autumn, on a sunny day, it is probably magical here ...

4. Like most tourists, we rushed to the castle itself (although readers warned me that there was nothing to do inside). Didn't listen. The castle is not as impressive up close as it is from afar.

5. You don't have to take a tour of the castle. Save time and money. A quote from a conversation that was accidentally overheard by other Russian-speaking tourists: “Marina, what kind of parquet is this? Bullshit! Our hermitage is much cooler!”
I wanted to separate from the Russian group as soon as possible.

6. Views from the balconies of Neuschwanstein to Füssen and Schwangau.

7. On the hill you can see the second, older castle of Hohenschwangau.

9. Not impressed by the tour, we went along the hiking trail closed for the winter to the Marinbrücke bridge, from where one of the “postcard” views of the castle opens. It is worth noting that in winter almost all hiking trails (and their total length is about 120 km) are closed, but tourists, especially Russians, climb over the fence and go for a walk. We are no exception.

10. The bridge seems to be close, but it takes 25-30 minutes to walk to it in the snow.

11. One of the popular and affordable views of the castle. The best views can be found by walking along the trail from the funicular on Mount Tegelberg to this bridge, but in winter you can’t get there. The paths are not cleared. Another disadvantage of visiting this place in winter is that the castle is lit by the sun only for a short period of time in the afternoon. The rest of the time it is in the shade against the backdrop of a bright valley. This is assuming there is sun at all. It is considered lucky to get into such weather conditions when the entire valley is covered with clouds and the castle floats alone in the snow-white sea.

12. Personally, after looking at photos of Neuschwanstein on the Internet, I expected to see more impressive views. There was hope for the funicular.

13. Climbing Mount Tegelberg is the best time to look at Neuschwanstein against the backdrop of mountains in winter. You can’t see the castle from the mountain itself, I took these photos leaning out of the window of the funicular cabin.

14. Hohenschwangau.

15. In a few minutes we climbed to a height of 1200 meters.

17. Fussen.

18. The village of Schwangau.

19. Panorama of the valley.



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20. Alps.

22. These are the Austrian peaks.

31. Descent back. To ride the funicular back and forth, you need to prepare 17.5 euros. Separately, the rise costs 12, and the descent costs 10. The length of the ski slope is about 1.5 km.

32. Conclusion: winter is not the best time to hunt for beautiful views from Neuschwanstein.

33. And this is Austria.

34. According to my plans, we had to drive along a picturesque route among the Alpine mountains, but alas ...

35. After 20 km after the border (which we did not even notice), our clutch broke. It worked, but did not allow gear shifting. Later we found a way out - the gears were switched with the engine off.

36. So we drove back - we start in first gear ... Acceleration ... We turn off the engine ... Second ... We start, we accelerate further ... We turn off ... Third ... We start ... Pyk-myk, but we arrived.

37. Austria was not given to us. It's a pity. So next time.