A tour of the castle takes about 30-90 minutes and is well-worth your time. Tours are done in several languages and as I mentioned before, photography inside is forbidden.After touring the castle, we all hiked down the hill into the town of Hohenschwangau itself. You can see Ludwig's birthplace of Schloss Hohenschwangau, which was closed at the time of my January 1987 visit, from the town, and it has some resemblence to Neuschwanstein with its turrets and towers.

In 1987, there was a quaint little inn and restaurant, Hotel Muller that we stopped in for lunch. I remember having a yummy mushroom and cheese omelet from the three-language menu that really hit the spot after a long hike up to Schloss Neuschwanstein.

After spending part of the day in Hohenschwangau and Schloss Neuschwanstein, we boarded the bus for the rest of our day trip which included Oberammergau, Garmisch-Partinkirchen, and back to Innsbruck to finish packing my bags for the long trip back home to the USA the next morning. It was such a memorable trip going to Neuschwanstein for me that I want to return there in the near future.

Neuschwanstein's construction began in 1869 under the supervision of King Ludwig II, who was known as "the mad king." The castle's designer was Christian Jank, who was a theater set designer, not an architect by trade. It was built on the sight of the ruins of one of the Hohenschwangau Castle, and Ludwig wanted a castle that was reminiscent of the old German knights' castles of the Middle Ages. Ludwig originally named his new home New Hohenschwangau Castle, but after Ludwig's death, it was re-named Neuschwanstein, which translates to "the Castle of the Swan Knight." Ludwig II was obsessed with Richard Wagner's operas, and the Swan Knight's, Lohengrin, home was known as Neuschwanstein in the opera.

Taking photos inside Neuschwanstein is forbidden, and it's a shame that one cannot record the beauty of this fascinating castle which includes the Knight's House with a square tower, a citadel with two towers to the West, and a gatehouse. There is also a Throne Room and Ludwig's Master Bedroom that has a flushing toilet with water from an aqueduct. All of the rooms are done in the theme of the Legend of The Lohengrin, the Swan Night. Ludwig's Birthplace at nearby Hohenschwangau has rooms decorated in this similar manner. Along with the flushing toilets, Neuschwanstein has other modern facilities including electricity, heating, and venting throughout the castle. Ludwig II might have been insane, but he was into modern inventions and introduced electricity to the Bavarian people.

While Mad Ludwig was building his dream home, he was going insane and grew more and more obsessed with Richard Wagner and his operas. This obsession got to the point where Ludwig's advisors banished Wagner from Bavaria. In 1886, Neuschwanstein was near completion, but Ludwig's brain wasn't complete, and the State Commission of Bavaria declared the King insane and had him arrested at Neuschwanstein by a Dr. von Gudden. Ludwig denied he was insane and demanded an examination before he was committed. Ludwig was transported to a nearby castle, Schloss Berg, and on June 13, 1886, Ludwig and Dr. von Gudden were found drowned in a shallow part of Lake Starnberg. Today, Ludwig's death remains a mystery. Did he accidently drown or was he murdered to prevent Bavaria from going broke from his over idulgences and building Neuschwanstein? You decide.

Today, Neuschwanstein is owned by the State of Bavaria and both Neuschwanstein and Ludwig's birthplace at Hohenschwangau (owned by Duke Franz of Bavaria), which is nearby, are available for tours daily.

To be continued in the next entry.

In the forested hilly country of Bavaria south west of Munich along the famous Romantic Road can be found the recognizable shape of King Ludwig II's castle, Neuschwanstein. Most widely known as the fairy tale 'Disney' castle, it's true inspiration sits loftily above the Bavarian hills, every bit as magical and imagination-inspiring as it's imitation.
It is a bit of a drive out of the city, but is very, very worth it. The surrounding country side (along with a quick trip on the Autobahn) is stunning, and absolutely riddled with castles and ruins and things to see and do along the way. While in Bavaria, I only had time to properly explore one castle, and so decided to make it the one that caught my attention the most.

Neuschwanstein castle really does not disappoint. Even in the pouring rain with a cold, the base of the castle covered in thick (unphotographable) fog and a long walk uphill to see it, it still leaves a deep and memorable impression, and coughing and red cheeked and steaming we loaded back into the car saying how pleased we were we'd made the trip up. The little and beautiful old town centre of Fuessen lies at the foot of the hill heading up to the castle, and is an excellent staging place for such a venture. It is criminal that the weather prevented any real photographing of the area, because on a clear day it is a breath taking scene (as I saw to my horror on the post cards in the gift shop). But even so the buzzing tourist atmosphere of the little town is pleasant rather than oppressive and crowded, and small groups of us huddled around by little warm stands selling sausages and other German treats.

Carriages drawn by big sturdy German horses take passengers up the hill to the castle for the modest fee of 2,50 Euros (round trip) or it’s a 15 minute walk, though fairly steep. I recommend the carriage ride. The castle itself is open from approximately 9am to 5:30pm, depending on the time of year and is closed for certain holidays (check the website for details.) Entrance fee is very reasonable at 6 Euros for adults for entrance and tour of the castle. Inside it is unlike any other castle that I've been to. The castles in Germany are an art unto themselves, and absolutely stunning. It is in pristine condition, and each room filled us with new awe. Built in 1886, it still holds all the charm of the age, and all the taste of King Ludwig II. There is a bit of mystic and mystery surrounding this castle, but its all part of the tour, and so I won't ruin it for you. This is a great tour, and beautiful place, one of my favourite German experiences.

Hohenschwangau Castle--The lower castle is the boyhood home of Ludwig. It was actually lived in, and is as it was in 1836. You can buy an individual ticket for EUR 9. We bought a combination ticket for both castles.

Neuschwanstein Castle--This is the fairy-tale castle that inspired Walt Disney’s castle in Disneyland. Mad King Ludwig had a dream and set out to fulfill it. He copied the medieval castles of Britain, but this castle was built much later—1870s. It has conveniences that those medieval folks only dreamed of. Before the castle was finished, Ludwig died. Only a portion of the castle is finished inside. You visit 15 finished rooms on an interesting 30-minuted guided tour.

If you are seeing both castles, the tours will be 2 hours apart, touring Hohenschwangau Castle first. It is a 10-15 minute hike up the hill from the ticket office—short, steep route, or a longer winding scenic route. Neuschwanstein is a steep 30-minute hike. You can take a shuttle bus or a horse-drawn carriage most of the way, but you still have to walk some. Don’t miss hiking to Mary’s Bridge for a fantastic view of Neuschwanstein. The trail is steep, but it is worth it. You can do it between the two castle tours. The trail goes on up for another great view, I’m told, but we didn’t go on.

The village at the foot of the castles has restaurants and hotels. There are also some little bratwurst stands along the way. If you bring a picnic, there is a very pretty lake.

If you are driving, the road signs direct you to Konigsschlosser, not Neuschwanstein. There is plenty of parking (EUR 5).

Designed to emulate a medieval castle, Neuschwanstein was built in the late 1860s, with all the modern conveniences of hot air, running water, and automatic flush toilets. King Ludwig was inspired by the operatic works of his dear friend Richard Wagner, for whom he built the cavernous amphitheater within the halls of his castle, so that Herr Wagner's works might be performed in an atmosphere of acoustic perfection. Inspired by the operatic works of Wagner, the design of each room can only be described as "epic." This monument to art and beauty should not be missed!

Guided tours cost currently cost 8€ (approximately $10). This tour takes a little over half an hour and includes 165 stairs to climb, but it is worth every last step. Tours are also available on Wednesdays for disabled in wheelchairs and walkers.

Information

Schlossverwaltung Neuschwanstein Neuschwansteinstr. 20

87645 Schwangau

(0 83 62) 9 39 88-0

Fax (0 83 62) 9 39 88-19

svneuschwanstein@bsv.bayern.de www.neuschwanstein.de

Opening hours April-September: 9am-6pm October-March: 10am-4pm

Open daily

Tickets on sale in ticket centre only:

April-September: 8am-5pm

October-March: 9am-3pm

Closed on: 1.1., Shrove Tuesday, 24.12., 25.12., 31.12. Tickets can be booked in advance for an additional charge at the ticket centre in Hohenschwangau:

Ticketservice Neuschwanstein Alpseestr. 12, 87645 Hohenschwangau

Tel. (0 83 62) 9 30 83-0,

Fax: (0 83 62) 9 30 83-20

Internet:www.ticket-center-hohenschwangau.de

Guided tours (ca. 35 minutes) in German and English

Audioguide tours in 11 languages Admission charges

9€ regular

8€ reduced

Combination ticket

"Neuschwanstein Castle and Hohenschwangau Castle"

17€ regular

15€ reduced

Please note

Toilet for the disabled available near the castle.

Special tours on Wednesdays if booked in advance.

Bus (RVA) to "Hohenschwangau"

There are coach trips up the mountain from the castle that end below.