History Of Neuschwanstein Castle

Neuschwanstein Castle was built by King Ludwig II, also known as Mad King Ludwig to replicate medieval architecture and to pay homage to the operas of Wagner. The Castle is under tremendous tourism pressure; in summer over 6000 people wind through the castle per day--1.3 million per year. From Neuschwanstein Castle there are great views of alpine lakes, especially the Alpsee. Hiking trails abound near the Alpsee, and the one circling the lake is protected as a nature reserve.

Ludwig had always wanted a medieval castle, so he had Neuschwanstein built in what you might call a neo-Romanesque style. That is to say, it was made to look a lot older than it really was, and unlike authentic medieval castles, it had such luxuries as forced-air heating and indoor plumbing. But the most distinctive feature of the castle was that it was designed to be a stage for Wagner’s operas, both literally and figuratively. Some rooms were designed explicitly as places where an opera might be performed, but in every room and corridor of the castle the architecture and artwork reflected the German mythology that formed the basis of Wagner’s operas. All but a very few of Wagner’s operas are depicted in one way or another in the castle. One of the most unusual rooms—if you can call it that—is called the Grotto. It’s actually an incredibly convincing artificial cave, complete with stalactites and a waterfall. The Grotto was intended to represent a cave from Wagner’s opera “Tannhäuser.”



Around the time construction began, estimates were that Ludwig would be able to move into the castle within about three years. But the work proceeded at a painfully slow pace and more than a decade later, the castle was still not complete. In 1883 Wagner died, causing Ludwig tremendous grief. So the composer never actually set foot inside the castle that had been built in his honor. A year later, Ludwig decided to move in, even though the structure was still unfinished and the throne room was not yet ready to hold a throne. But the king resided there for a grand total of only eleven nights. After Ludwig died under suspicious circumstances in 1886 at the age of 41, construction on Neuschwanstein continued for another eight years. When the builders finally stopped, only a third of the rooms had been finished and decorated.



Without Ludwig, Wagner may never have achieved the successes he did, and without Wagner, Neuschwanstein would never have been built. But there is much more to the story of the life and death of King Ludwig II than Neuschwanstein. The “swan king,” as he is sometimes called, built other equally interesting castles and led a fascinating, if deeply troubled life. His story, like his castles, reminds me that there’s more to Bavaria than meets the eye.



Neuschwanstein Castle was opened to the public 7 weeks after the death of King Ludwig II.
Although the Castle was designed to look medieval, it had quite modern refinements: hot air, running water, automatic flush toilets were all part of the royal residence. The kitchen at Neuschwanstein has been preserved in its entirety, featuring automatic spits and cupboards that could be heated with hot air from the large kitchen stove.