Description of the attraction
King Ludwig II of Bavaria, unsociable and romantic, ordered the construction of Neuschwanstein Castle (1868 - 1886) on a lonely rock, not far from the village of Schwangau. It was erected in the style of a knight's fortress and luxuriously furnished.
Legendary castle
The plans and drawings were developed by Eduard Riedel, decorator Christian Jank and Georg Dolman. Each hall of the castle is a hymn to Wagner's operas, heroes of German legends.
The marble throne room was conceived as the hall of Parsifal. The floor plans for the lavish Byzantine style were created by Eduard Ille and Julius Hoffmann. It is a two-tiered hall with long rows of columns, decorated with imitations of porphyry and lapis lazuli. It 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 to be placed. However, this was no longer destined to come true due to the untimely death of the king.
Under the shining blue sky of the dome sits Christ, surrounded by Mary and John, and below are the kings-saints: Casimir, Stephen, Henry, Ferdinand, Edward and Louis. A precious candelabrum in the shape of a Byzantine crown, silt of gilded copper, carries 96 candles and weighs 18 centners.
The oak-paneled dining room is decorated with paintings by Ferdinand Ryloti and Joseph Aigner. They depict the minnesingers as well as scenes from the legendary Wartburg song contest in 1207.
The Singers' Hall occupies the entire eastern part of the fourth floor. Several years ago, wonderful concerts began to be held in this magnificent hall.
The private chambers of the king
The neo-Gothic royal bedchamber dazzles with an abundance of carved decorations and ornaments. Fourteen carvers worked for four and a half years to make them. The picture decoration of the room is devoted mainly to the story of Tristan and Isolde, which 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 in Munich.
Adjacent to the bedroom is the small chapel of Ludwig II. It is dedicated to the saint King Louis of France, after whom the monarch was named. In the ornamented lancet vault there is an ornately carved winged altar.
The lavishly decorated living room with a front bay window, the so-called "swan" corner, is dedicated to the image of the swan knight of Lohengrin. Large panels by artists Gauschild and von Haeckel depict scenes from the Lohengrin legend. In addition, the swan motif appears in carved wood paneling ornaments and in gold embroidery on silk upholstery and curtains.
The king's study is decorated in a Romanesque style. The tapestries created by Joseph Aigner, filigree inlaid in oak wall paneling, illustrate the legends of Tannhäuser and the singing competition in Wartburg.
On a note
- Location: Neuschwansteinstraße 20, 87645 Schwangau
- How to get there: by train from Munich to Füssen, from there by bus 78.
- Official website:
- Opening hours: daily March 23 - October 15 from 8.00 to 17.00, October 16 - March 22 from 9.00 to 15.00. Closed on January 1, December 24, 25, 31.
- Tickets: adults - 12, 00 euros, children under 18 - free, students, senior citizens over 65, disabled people - 11, 00 euros.
