If we were to make a ranking of the most repeated questions by travelers who arrive in Munich and want to visit Neuschwanstein, among the first three, I would be sure if it is worth entering the Mad King's castle. In this post we walk through the inside of Neuschwanstein Castle and, to stop your doubts, we will discover the highlights.
Neuschwanstein Castle is one of the most visited tourist attractions in all of Germany: almost 1.5 million tourists come every year to this dream palace built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria, better known as the Mad King. Surrounded by the extraordinary natural environment of the Alps, Neuschwanstein is located around 125 km from the city of Munich and is one of the cultural jewels of Bavaria.
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| Neuschwanstein Castle |
Louis II of Bavaria, who became king at only 18 years old, grew up fascinated by the German sagas of medieval heroes and knights that he read and listened to as a child. In them he found the inspiration to design the palace years later and decorate the interior of Neuschwanstein.
Neuschwanstein's architectural work began in 1869, its construction lasted for almost 20 years and, after the death of Louis II, it was left unfinished. It was the first and most special palace erected by the Mad King and it became a place of protection and shelter for a monarch who over time was moving away from his people, more interested in literature, music and architecture than in politics. If you are interested in reading more about the character, do not miss the story of this unique fairytale king.
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| Neuschwanstein Castle |
Neuschwanstein has the outward appearance of a medieval fortress and they say it inspired Disney's Sleeping Beauty castle, but… is the Mad King's castle worth entering?
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| Neuschwanstein Castle |
The last castle built by Louis II of Bavaria stands floating above a gorge and its almost unpronounceable name means “the new stone swan”. Today it is part of the fascinating route that runs through the great architectural dreams of that king in love with art.
Neuschwanstein Castle was built at a time when castles and fortresses were no longer strategically necessary. It was born in the imagination of Louis II as a pure romantic fantasy of an idealized medieval castle. The castle is a composition of towers and walls that was intended to harmonize with the mountains and lakes. It is situated above the Pöllat Gorge in the Bavarian Alps and towers over Hohenschwangau Castle and the Alpsee and Schwan lakes.