Neuschwanstein Castle is the most famous castle in Germany. His image is featured on booklets, postcards, magazine covers and travel symbols. More than 1,300,000 travelers come to the Bavarian Alps every year to admire the majestic and graceful castle, as if removed from a fairy tale. In the image of Neuschwanstein, the Sleeping Beauty Castle was created at Disneyland Paris, and for P.I. Tchaikovsky, he became a source of inspiration for the ballet "Swan Lake".
The history and architecture of the swan castle
The construction of Neuschwanstein Castle began in 1869 and lasted until 1883. The architects of the project were E. Riedel and G. Dolman. The construction site for the construction of the castle was formed by undermining a rock, as a result of which the plateau sank 8 m. Neuschwanstein has 5 floors, but many of them were never finished. It was planned to allocate 110 rooms in the castle, but only 16 were completed to the end.
Translated from German, the name of the castle sounds like "New Swan Stone". Fascinated by Wagner's atmospheric operas, Ludwig II himself developed the Neuschwanstein project. For the construction of the castle, he chose one of the mountains in the Bavarian Alps, where previously there were two Schwangau fortresses.
The architecture of Neuschwanstein has absorbed all the best traditions of medieval knightly castles, which are vividly reflected in thin tall towers, luxurious balconies, sculptures and semicircular arches. The main building, where the king's chambers were located, is richly decorated with decorative turrets, frescoes and bay windows, and the pediments are crowned with a sculpture of a knight and a lion.
The construction of the castle cost the treasury twice as much as planned, so after the death of Ludwig II, Neuschwanstein had to be opened for paid visits.
Neuschwanstein Interior: Where Dreams May Come
The ground floor of the castle houses the palace kitchen and servants' quarters. Climbing to the fourth floor, you can get into the throne room and the royal chambers, between which are the adjutant and valet rooms.
Grotto
The grotto is the most unusual room of the fairytale castle. While here, you can feel that Neuschwanstein is carved inside the mountain range and is an integral part of it. However, the castle never ceases to amaze! Going a little further, deeper into the grotto, you can see a glass door with a picture of a swan, leading to a balcony, from where a bird's eye view opens up a stunning view of the tiny villages, the lake and the emerald valley.
Hall of Singers
The Singers Hall is the largest venue in Neuschwanstein. Here, as in the Wartburg palace, the figure of a dragon guards the tower, and the hall itself is decorated with colorful paintings depicting fragments of the legend of Parsifal and the legends of Tannhäuser.
Throne room
The Neuschwanstein Throne Room is made in an exquisite Byzantine style and occupies two whole floors! The ceiling of the room is strewn with gold stars on a green background, it is decorated with a huge chandelier made of gilded bronze, made in the shape of a royal crown and designed for 96 candles. The mosaic floor of the throne room attracts with its interesting depiction of various representatives of flora and fauna, and the paintings on the walls tell the story of the deeds of 6 holy kings. A nine-step staircase made of Carrara marble leads to the platform where the throne of Ludwig II was supposed to stand. Unfortunately, the throne room was never completed: the main element is missing here - the royal throne.
Living room
The living room is the largest room in the royal chambers. The walls of the room are decorated with colorful panels depicting scenes from the Lohengrin saga. And 4 columns mark out the Swan Corner in the room, where Ludwig II loved to spend time reading.
Study
The king's study is decorated in Romanesque style. Here you can see the images of J. Aigner, on which he portrayed the heroes of the legend about the bard Tannhäuser. All writing utensils on the table with malachite inserts were made in the Munich workshop of Harrach. Decorated with a swan, they represent a stunning piece of art!
Visit to the fairytale castle
Today Neuschwanstein operates as a museum. Travelers can reach the castle on foot or take an exciting horse-drawn carriage ride along the serpentine road.
Neuschwanstein receives visitors daily:
- Summer time: 9:00 - 18:00
- In winter: 10:00 - 16:00.
Entrance fee:
- Regular = 12 €
- Discount = 11 €.
You can visit the deputy only as part of an excursion group. An audio guide is available to tourists.
Interesting Facts
- Neuschwanstein - the most photographed castle in the world
- Maintenance of the castle requires 14,500,000 € / year
- During the construction of Neuschwanstein, 400,000 bricks, 465 tons of marble and more than 1,500 tons of sandstone were used
- In Legoland, located in Günzburg, a replica of the castle was made, assembled from more than 300,000 parts.
Object type: building.
