King Ludwig II of Bavaria, unsociable and romantic, ordered Neuschwanstein Castle (1868 - 1886) to be built for him on a lonely rock near 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 designed by Eduard Riedel, the decorative artist Christian Jank and Georg Dolman. Each hall of the castle is a hymn to Wagner's operas and the heroes of Germanic legends.
The marble throne room was conceived as the hall of Parsifal. The plans for the room in the sumptuous Byzantine style were created by Eduard Ille and Julius Hoffmann. It is a two-tiered hall with long rows of columns decorated with imitation porphyry and lapis lazuli. It ends in a semicircle of gilded apse. Nine steps of Carrara marble lead up to a platform where a throne of gold and ivory was to stand. However, this was no longer to be realised due to the king's untimely death.
Under the shining blue sky of the dome sits Christ, surrounded by Mary and John, and below are the saintly kings Casimir, Stephen, Henry, Ferdinand, Edward and Louis. The precious candelabrum in the shape of a Byzantine crown in gilded copper carries 96 candles and weighs 18 centners.
The oak-panelled dining room is decorated with paintings by Ferdinand Riloti and Joseph Eigner. They depict Minnesingers as well as scenes from the legendary song contest at Wartburg in 1207.
The Singers' Hall occupies the entire eastern part of the fourth floor. A few years ago, wonderful concerts were held in this magnificent hall.
The king's private chambers
The neo-Gothic royal bedchamber dazzles with its abundance of carved decorations and ornaments. Fourteen carvers laboured for four and a half years to produce them. The paintings in the room are mainly devoted to the story of Tristan and Isolde, which deeply affected the 20-year-old king. Richard Wagner's opera of the same name was staged in 1865 during King Ludwig's stay in Munich.
Adjoining the bedroom is a small prayer room for Ludwig II. It is dedicated to Saint King Louis of France, after whom the monarch was named. A richly carved casement altar is set into the painted lancet vault.
The generously decorated living room with its front bay window, the so-called "swan" corner, is dedicated to the image of the swan knight Lohengrin. Large panels by the artists Hauschild and von Geckel depict scenes from the legend of Lohengrin. In addition, the swan motif appears in the carved decorations on the wooden panelling and in the gold embroidery on the silk upholstery and drapes.
The king's study is decorated in Romanesque style. Tapestries created by Joseph Eigner, filigree inlaid in the oak panelling of the walls, illustrate the legends of Tannhäuser and the Wartburg singing competition.
On a side note
- Location: Neuschwansteinstraße 20, 87645 Schwangau
- How to get there: by train from Munich to Füssen, from there by bus 78.
- Official website: http://www.neuschwanstein.de/
- Opening hours: daily 23 March - 15 October from 8.00 to 17.00, 16 October - 22 March from 9.00 to 15.00. Closed on 1 January, 24, 25, 31 December.
- Tickets: adults - 12.00 euros, children under 18 - free of charge, students, senior citizens over 65, disabled - 11.00 euros.
