Neuschwanstein, Germany

Neushwanstein, The Fairy-Tale Castle (Photo Gallery)

The Journey~
After Amsterdam, we thought of making a short trip to recover not from exhaustion of traveling but from the exhaustion of cash :( Thus, a 1-day trip was decided to the Schloss Castles in Fussen. As recommended, we took the longer route to catch a glimpse of nature. It was a great sight as we were immediately greeted by views of meadows, rivers, lakes and mountains. Unfortunately, due to snail-like traffic in Garmish, we could only manage to reach Fussen after 6 hours of driving.

Schloss Hohenschwangau~
Our first stop was Schloss Hohenschwangau, the older of the two castles. Built in the 12th century, it was destroyed by Napoleon and restored by Crown Prince Maximilian in romanesque style. This is the castle where King Ludwig II spent his childhood. We did not visit the interior of this castle simply because Neuschwanstein looks more majestic.
Admission: €9.00

The Lake~
After Hohenschwangau, we took a stroll in the small town at the foot of the hill. A serene atmosphere was in the air especially when you walk by the lake. From here we took a bus up to Neuschwanstein Castle.

Mary’s Bridge (Marienbruecke)~
The bus stopped at a point whereby you still need to hike for around 500m to reach the castle. However, not too far off is the famous Mary’s Bridge and we took a detour there. Undoubtedly, the bridge offers the best view of the castle and a 45m waterfall which spans a deep gorge. On the path between this bridge and the castle is a wonderful view of Hohenschwangau and the Alpsee. The bridge, orginally of wood, was named after Ludwig's mother, Queen Marie, a Prussian princess. In 1866 the present iron construction replaced the wooden bridge.

Schloss Neuschwanstein~
Neuschwanstein is one of the most beautiful castle in the world thus making it a very top destinations in Europe. The castle was built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria but only about a third of the castle was actually completed when the king passed away under strange circumstances. He spent just 9 days inside the castle. It was built 3306 feet above sea level on a rugged hill against a backdrop of picturesque Alps. Guided tours takes about 35 minutes and you have to walk 170 steps up and down. The 15 rooms you see on the tour displays astonishing craftsmanship and richness of detail. I thought the audio guide was superb.
Admission: €9.00

The Entrance Hall~
The entrance hall is divided into two aisles. This was where we gathered for our briefing. Paintings and tiles were everywhere. To the left of the corridor, behind the round-arched double windows, are the servants' quarters.

Throne Hall~
The throne hall was designed in elaborate Byzantine style inspired by the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople .The 2-story Throne Room with its series of pillars was completed in the year of the king's death, 1886. Set in half-domed, the throne platform is approached by a flight of white marble steps. The throne itself, designed in gold and ivory, was never made. The platform is flanked by paintings of the 12 Apostles, and behind the platform is a pattern of golden lions, the symbol of Bavaria. Another masterpiece here is the chandelier. It’s huge !

Dining Room~
The dining room of is decorated with paintings. They present figures from the "Minnesinger" period and scenes from the Wartburg Castle at the time of the legendary Song Contest in 1207. The table sculpture, over 1 meter high, shows Siegfried fighting the dragon - a gift from Munich artists to Ludwig II.

Bedroom~
In contrast to the other rooms, the bedroom is sumptuously carved in the Neo-Gothic style. 14 woodcarvers are said to have worked 4½ years to create this room. The Monarch's bed is covered with richly embroidered draperies. My favorite piece on antique had to be the swan-shaped washstand. It is impressive that the source of water is from a stream above the castle.

Chapel~
Adjoining the bedroom is the small chapel, dedicated to the Patron Saint of the King - Louis IX of France (St. Louis). The richly carved winged-altar is set into the decorated wall, and the altar paintings show scenes from the life of St. Louis. The stained glass windows to the right show St. Louis receiving the last sacraments.

Dressing Room~
The dressing room is completed in relatively simple oak paneling, and the painting on the ceiling gives the impression of the room opening to the sky. The wall paintings illustrate the life and work of Walther von der Vogelweide and Hans Sachs.

Living Room~
The richly decorated Living Room with its extension chamber, the so-called "Swan's Corner", is completely dedicated to the legend of the Swan Knight Lohengrin - a saga of great meaning and importance for Ludwig II.The Large murals by Hauschild and von Heckel depict "The Miracle of the Grail" and "The Arrival of Lohengrin in Antwerp". Ludwig II, who as a young prince was so overwhelmed by Wagner's opera Lohengrin that he considered it a form of enlightenment, identified himself wholly with the Swan Knight, and enjoyed dressing up as Lohengrin. The tragedy of Lohengrin was his essential loneliness. This was also the fate of the King.

Grotto~
Between the Living and the Study Room, Ludwig II had an artificial stalactite cavern built. These were in romantic vogue at that time and it has an artificial waterfall.

Winter Garden~
As one goes out of the grotto, immediately to the right, after the Living Room, one comes to the entrance to the winter garden which is closed off by means of a glass door, sunk into the rock. The fountain in the Winter Garden was originally intended for the second floor.

Study Room~
The Gothic-styled Study Room of the King is stamped with references to the history of the Wartburg Castle. The paintings, set in finely carved wall panels, illustrate the Tannhaeuser saga and the Song Contest of the Wartburg.

Singer's Hall~
The Singer's Hall occupies the entire 4th floor of the castle and is a copy of the Minstrels Hall of the Wartburg Castle in Thuringia, The murals in the hall and in the corridor depict scenes from the "Parzival" saga of the middle-ages. It’s a 2-story room with the upper seats reserved for the King which has a passage from his bedroom.

Kitchen~
The completely intact Kitchen shows how modern technology was allowed to take its place within the atmosphere of the middle ages captured in the upper stories. The elaborate equipment includes hot and cold running water, and automatic spit roasters.

It was a long walk down the hill.........

more pix...