Castle of the Week 23 - Schloß Neuschwanstein
Neuschwanstein Castle in the Bavarian Alps in
Germany really has no place in the histories here as it a
fantastical imitation of a medieval castle built in the 19th
century. However it is probably one of the most famous castles in
the world, and the one used by Walt Disney as the prototype for
his Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland.
There were already some old castle ruins in a
spectacular spot overlooking the Pollat Gorge and dense forests
when King Ludwig II of Bavaria decided to build the ultimate
fairy tale castle. King Ludwig, also known as Mad King Ludwig but
probably just somewhat eccentric, had grown up in nearby
Hohenschwangau Castle. He wasn't interested in being royal,
preferring to live an isolated life in the mountains. Building
romantic story-book castles was his passion.
He began it in 1869 and it was still unfinished
when he died in 1886. The walls were brick covered with slabs of
limestone. It was to be equipped with conveniences revolutionary
for the time. There were flushing toilets and running water
throughout, a hot water system for the kitchen and bathrooms and
a warm air heating system for the whole castle.
King Ludwig was a patron of the composer Richard
Wagner and many of the rooms were built around the legends used
by Wagner in his operas. The huge Byzantine throne room was the
Grail-Hall of Parsifal and was inspired by the Hagia Sophia in
Constantinople (Istanbul); Parsifal also inspired the Singer's
Hall; on the third floor is a winter garden and stalactite grotto
from Tannhäuser and the great chamber from Lohengrin. The
rooms are a fantasy 
with everything painted,
carved or decorated and the colours are bold. Styles are
inconsistent - Gothic, Moorish and Romanesque are all in
evidence. Swans are another theme within the castle -
Neuschwanstein means new swan rock - and swans were Ludwig's
favourite animal. When he died, only the exterior and fifteen of
the sixty-five rooms had been completed.
In 1886 Ludwig ran out of money. He could no
longer fund his castle obsession and was dethroned on the grounds
of his supposed insanity. He was arrested and, in all likelihood,
committed suicide although some believed he was murdered. He was
found drowned together with his doctor in a lake at the foot of
the mountains.
The castle is still owned by descendants of King Ludwig although it is open to the public for guided tours.
Write-up provided by GillB* . Pictures courtesy of Castles of the World
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