Client Experience Manager Candice Klinikowski recently went on tour in Bavaria and shared some insights from her time abroad:
From a young age, many of us have spent precious childhood moments defending a castle built from pillows and sheets. The idea of magic has always enchanted us, and for good reason. Who doesn’t want to be a king or queen of a faraway kingdom?
The best part of growing up and learning to travel, for me, has been realizing that these places that have inspired our wildest dreams are real. There are castles of old kingdoms strewn across the world. I have had the pleasure of exploring quite a few, but none have ever stood out to me so much as the Bavarian splendor of the 19th-century Neuschwanstein Castle. For those who have experienced it, it’s no coincidence that the location inspired Walt Disney World’s Cinderella’s Castle—the icon of all fairy tales.
Neuschwanstein was designed to be an homage to King Ludwig II’s favorite German composer, Richard Wagner. Like his musical inspiration, Ludwig was also known for his extravagance, which is blatant upon standing at the base of the massive castle. It towers over the 6,000+ visitors that step inside each year.
In a letter to Wagner, Ludwig’s vision was to construct the castle “in the authentic style of the old German knights’ castles.” He deemed his choice of locale to be worthy of Wagner’s works and claimed the stunning backdrop of mountains to be “one of the most beautiful to be found.” This certainly wasn’t a false statement. The views of, and from, the castle are wonderfully picturesque. Neuschwanstein even overlooks another one of Ludwig’s properties—Hohenschwangau Castle, his childhood home.
Sketches done by artist Christian Jank were the main inspiration for the builders, Eduard Riedel & Georg Dollman. They began construction in the summer of 1868 on top of ruins of an old castle, but it took over a year before the first foundation stone was laid. Despite the castle’s 13th-century Romanesque-style, modern building techniques were used throughout. It might surprise you to learn that because of this, the walls are built of brick. The limestone you see from outside is merely a covering.
In June 1872, the Gateway Building was completed and by the end of the year it was ready for Ludwig’s arrival. He lived in the upper floor of this section the few times he visited the site. The rest of the castle was built much more slowly than expected due to the complexity of the project and the challenges of working on the mountainside. Building continued as he took residence in the new Linderhof Palace.
Known by his subjects as the “Mad King,” Ludwig was handed the Bavarian throne at age 18. Growing up, he was notorious for his fascination with the arts and untamed imagination. He was said to be obsessed with the idea of reigning over a holy kingdom, created by God when in reality he had
Known by his subjects as the “Mad King,” Ludwig was handed the Bavarian throne at age 18. Growing up, he was notorious for his fascination with the arts and untamed imagination. He was said to be obsessed with the idea of reigning over a holy kingdom, created by God when in reality he had little freedom for taking action after losing Bavaria to the Prussians in 1866. Trapped in his childhood dream, he created a fictional world in his head to feel like a real king. For many years he slept during the day in order to “rule” at night.
As the years went by, Ludwig became a hermit, focusing on his dreams of royalty. He turned the welcoming abode into a symbol of wealth and domination. His strange behavior and chosen solitude began to effect his influence and in 1886 he was overthrown and incarcerated in Berg Castle. He died the next day of mysterious circumstances in Lake Starnberg, alongside his psychiatrist.
Strangely enough, Ludwig once told his governess that he wanted “to remain an eternal mystery to myself and others.” To this day, he has lived up to his wishes and has created an enchanting secret deep in the heart of Bavaria. The Mad King only spent 11 nights in the castle and never did get to see the finality of his masterpiece, and most of it is still left unfinished.
See it for yourself and learn more about the Mad King’s story on a trip with Explorica!
Germany & Central Europe tours