Schloss Neuschwanstein is considered one of the worlds most beautiful castles. Last month I posted a set of Castle Pictures with interesting facts and several people expressed wanting to see pictures of Neuschwanstein Castle included on Popular Wealth. They were right, now, more about Neuschwanstein Castle …
1. Neuschwanstein Castle Panoramic Image
Castle Neuschwanstein (Schloss Neuschwanstein in German) is a 19th century Bavarian palace located near Füssen in South-West Bavaria and was built by Ludwig II of Bavaria as a personal retreat. It now sees 1.3 million visitors a year.
In the beautiful panoramic castle photo above, created by joiseyshowaa, you can get a sense of the castles strategic position atop a mountain nestled between cliffs with a view that extends for miles. Easily defendable in it’s time.
2. Neuschwanstein Castle Viewed From Above
Jeff Wilcox took this incredible picture of Neuschwanstein Castle after hiking for over an hour and a half from the castles doors. You begin to realise how immense Neuschwanstein Castle is when it still appears large at this distance.
It would have been impossible to build battle rams in hopes of sieging the castle given it’s position, as you can see in this image. Equally impressive, and the reason the castle looks so impressive, is that it was designed by a theatrical proffesional, Christian Jank, and not an architectural expert. Eduard Riedel, and later Georg Dollmann, did provide the architectural expertise needed for building in such a perilous location but not at the expense of sheer grandeur and beauty.
3. Neuschwanstein Castle Photocrom via United States Library of Congress
Though Neuschwanstein appears to be a medieval wonder it was built to include the premiere technology of its time and includes steam engines, electricity, modern venting and heating pipes within its original structure. The castle itself pays homage to the German legends of Lohengrin, the Swan Knight, and was originaly named New Hohenschwangau. It’s not until after King Ludwig II’s untimely 1886 death that the castle was renamed Schloss Neuschwanstein.
4. Inside Neuschwanstein Castle
It is said that photography is not permitted from inside the castle though many photos exist, such as the one above taken by glynnish. As you can see from this throne room photo the interior design of the castle is extremely rich, colorful and detailed over every square inch of its interior.
Neuschwanstein means ‘new swan stone’ and swans play a major part of the castles design. Cinderellas sleeping beauty castle at Disneyland is also heavily influenced by castle Neuschwanstein and the castle has been included in various movies and video games over the years.
5. Castle Neuschwanstein is especially beautiful in winter
Winter snow brings out a fairytale like beauty of the castle as can be seen in the stunning photograph taken by ingirogiro yet for all its beauty the castles story includes some as of yet unresolved mysteries. King Ludwig II became merely a vassal of his Prussian uncle when Austria and Bavaria were conquered by the expanding Prussian state in 1866, during the German War. By 1885 Ludwig II was in serious financial difficulty with foreign banks and when he refused to act rationaly he was declared insane. It was also rumored he stole from his people.
‘Ludwig the mad’ was then interned in Berg Palace but a day later he died under mysterious drowning circumstances in Lake Starnberg along with the same psychiatrist who had certified him insane. Foul play can be suspected under such circumstances but the mystery was never and has never been publicly resolved.
6. Neuschwanstein Upper Courtyard (minus the keep)
When Ludwig II died in 1886 his dream castle was not yet complete. One of the unfinished sections can be found in the upper courtyard where a spectacular keep would have been built. Rita Willaert took this amazing image of the upper courtyard as it stands today and in the lower left corner you can see part of what would have been the foundation for the center keep.
A keep is somewhat similar to a small castle in its own right and was often used as a final defense against invading armies should they breach the outer walls. Just 7 weeks after Ludwigs death the Castle was opened to tourists.
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Wow..simply amazing!
Michael Aulias last blog post… Introduction to Blogging Series
This is beautiful! I really hope that I will get a chance to see this in person someday.
Neuschwanstein Castle was not built as a Strategic castle, its goal was not warlike in any of the designs. King Ludwig built the castle on the top of the hill because of its beautifl scenery, not because it was of strategic advantages. The main way to tell is the stairways inside the castle all curve counterclockwise, with the right hand leading. This is is the opposite of a warlike castle, where all the stair curve clockwise and inhibit the use of a sword in the right hand. Ive been to the castle, and it is exceptionally beautiful, but it is not a strategic castle.
Really really beautiful!!!
I have been to this castle and it is simply stunning….the pictures dont even do it justice. This is definatley something everyone should experience.
Yes, the Neuschwanstein Castle is indeed very beautiful and one of the most well-known German castles worldwide, but there are thousands of others in Germany that most people do not know yet…
~Marcus
Marcus Hochstadts last blog post… Jul 13, The Freising District Is A Beer Drunken Zone
Exquisite pictures.
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