Fairytale Palaces of Ludwig II

Do you remember the castle from the Disney cartoon "Sleeping Beauty"? If so, I hope you will be happy to know that this castle is not fictitious! Yes, the "Sleeping Beauty" castle is just one of the fairy-tale castles of King Ludwig II that continue to delight visitors to this day. And if you're interested in knowing exactly what I'm talking about, keep reading.

Who was King Ludwig II ?

In 1864, at the age of 18, Ludwig Otto Friedrich Wilhelm became King Ludwig II of Bavaria. He is known for his eccentricity and love for opera (he was a patron of the famous composer Wagner), whose motifs he tried to implement in his fairy-tale "buildings".

He mostly spent all his private money on artistic and architectural projects, building three castles that represent the main attraction of Bavaria. The architectural style of these royal palaces was influenced by the French Chateau de Pierrefonds, Versailles and the German Wartburg Castle, which Ludwig II visited in 1867. The good news is that if you're in Munich, you only need one day to visit one of these three castles.

Linderhof

Linderhof was the favorite residence of King Ludwig II, most likely because it is the only castle that was completed during his lifetime. It is surrounded by pavilions, terraces, and, of course, wonderful fountains located in magnificent parks.

It was built in the Rococo style, and in the palace you will find many symbols of the sun, which alludes to King Louis XIV, as well as the French notion of absolutism. Therefore, the interior is rich in marble, gold, crystals, vases, silver, chandeliers...the display of power was not lacking. The most interesting part is the dining room where the table was lowered into the kitchen from the first floor and vice versa using a special technique. Ludwig liked to eat lunch alone, and when he has the freedom to make whatever he wants, why not do it?

Herrenchiemsee

On one of the most beautiful lakes in Bavaria, the Chiemsee, there is another castle modeled after the Palace of Versailles.

To Herrenchiemsee you can get from the port of Prien by boat that goes every day, and you disembark on the island of Herreninsel (Men's Island). The most famous room is the Room of Mirrors (with 25 frescoes of the French Sun King), inspired by the Hall of Mirrors located in, guess where, Versailles. As King Louis XIV was King of the Sun, so Louis II wanted to match, becoming King of the Moon. You will also see gardens that are rich in fountains and flowers.

Neuschwanstein

The Castle of "Sleeping Beauty" or Neuschwanstein is truly one of the most beautiful castles in the world. It is located on the so-called Swan Rock, at 965 meters above sea level and is included in the UNESCO list of world cultural heritage.

In addition to Chateau de Pierrefonds and Versailles, the inspiration for this castle was Wagner's operas Tannhäuser and Lohengrin. Along with architect Eduard Riedel, set designer Christian Jank worked on the design of Neuschwanstein. It can be said that it was built in the style of romanticism, but you will also find elements of the Gothic as well as traces of the Byzantine style. You can visit the castle every day, so if you're headed to Bavaria, don't miss seeing this truly fairytale palace.