Neuschwanstein Castle - treasure of the Alps At first glance at this castle, it seems that someone has forgotten their toy here - the ivory-colored towers of Neuschwanstein seem so unreal, floating against the background of dark green firs. Although if you get closer, the feeling of fabulousness is unlikely to let go, because hundreds of little things will become visible, completely out of line with the reality of the alpine slopes that give the background to this German fairy tale ... You can get here by walking along the path that starts at the foot of another picturesque castle - Hohenschwangau. Where a rock suddenly appears from the forest, and the slope is so steep that it seems insurmountable - this is where this castle stands. Unfortunately, today crowds of tourists arrive here, and the queue of those wishing to visit this miracle stretches for half a kilometer - after all, this castle is the most frequently photographed and most visited building in Bavaria by tourists ... 
In summer, excursions around the castle are a little shorter than in winter, because otherwise it would simply be impossible to serve the entire innumerable flow of tourists who are eager to get into a fairy tale for at least a couple of hours. Therefore, it is better to visit Neuschwanstein in autumn or even in winter - the views are no less spectacular, and there are many fewer tourists). 
Neuschwanstein Castle was erected at the direction of the "fairytale king" Ludwig II, who did not like Munich very much, but who loved to build, as Feuchtwanger wrote, "expensive, luxurious castles in various hard-to-reach areas." And all his buildings turned out to be amazingly beautiful, like in a fairy tale, for which the king was nicknamed “fabulous”. 
Unlike Ludwig I and Maximilian II, Ludwig II built not for the public, but for himself, and even sometimes thought about ordering the demolition of the castle he built after his death. 
Ludwig II began to dream of his own miracle castle as a child. From an early age, he loved to participate in theatrical performances and dress up. The royal family spent summers at Hohenschwangau, the family estate of Schwangau, which Ludwig's father Maximilian II acquired in 1833. A bit of a romantic himself, Maximilian hired not an architect, but a stage designer to work on the restoration project of the castle. 
Construction of the castle began in 1869 and continued until 1886. It was dedicated to the knight Lohengrin and was originally conceived as a three-story Gothic fortress. By the way, Neuschwanstein literally translates as “New Swan Rock”. 
Gradually, the project underwent changes, until the castle turned into a five-story building in a romantic style, which, according to Ludwig II, most corresponded to the legend. 
Ludwig II spared no expense in bringing his fantasies to life, so the best craftsmen, painters, sculptors and wood carvers were hired to work in Neuschwanstein and elsewhere. Unfortunately, his construction projects devastated the state treasury and interfered with the performance of his royal duties, which later became the determining factor in his fate. 
Neuschwanstein Castle stands on the site of two fortresses - front and rear Schwangau. Ludwig II ordered at this place to lower the plateau by about 8 m by blasting the rock and thereby create a place for the construction of a “fabulous palace”. 
After the construction of the road and the laying of the pipeline, on September 5, 1869, the foundation stone of the huge castle was laid. The construction was entrusted to the court architect Eduard Riedel, and the Munich master Christian Jank embodied his plans in artistic forms, the so-called “veduta” (paintings). 
In 1869-1873 the gates were built. The private chambers of the king on the third floor, as well as comfortable rooms on the second floor, contributed to the convenience of the entire structure. 
Beginning in 1873, construction work was carried out at a very intense pace. In 1883, the construction of the palace was completed, the decoration of the 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th floors was also completed. In the spring of 1884, the king could already live in his chambers on the 4th floor, where Ludwig II spent a quarter of the time in the last two years before his death. 
It is difficult to imagine what problems then had to be faced and how much building material was required, because only one cement manufacturer, Jakob Lang from Schongau, provided at least 450 tons of cement in 1872, and the Unhoch company delivered 1 845 hectoliters of lime. 
Salzburg marble was used for windows, arches, columns and capitals. A huge amount of building material was lifted from the west side of the building in trolleys using a steam-powered crane - they were delivered and installed in the right place using a special system of lifting blocks. 
In 1880, 209 carpenters, masons and auxiliary workers were involved in the construction. 
After the death of the king, all construction work was suspended, as a result of which the third floor of the castle and the knight's quarters were not completed, and the main 90-meter tower of the castle with a Gothic-style church, which was supposed to rise above all buildings, was not built at all. The western terrace, which was supposed to lead to the unfinished bath, was not finished either. 
Despite the fact that from a distance the castle seems like a toy, in reality it has a very impressive size. Eyewitnesses claimed that fifteen master carvers worked on the manufacture of Ludwig II's carved wooden bed in the Gothic style, topped with intricate and fragile wood carvings, for four and a half years. The picture decoration of the royal bedroom is devoted mainly to the story of Tristan and Isolde, who deeply impressed the 20-year-old king. The opera of the same name by Richard Wagner was staged in 1865 during the stay of King Ludwig II in Munich. 
The small chapel of Ludwig II adjoins the bedroom. It is dedicated to Saint Louis - King Louis of France - after whom the monarch was named. A richly carved folding altar is cut into the painted lancet vault. 
The castle gives the impression of a theatrical scenery, and partly is it, since it was created under the active guidance of the Munich theater artist Christian Jank. As a result, various architectural and artistic styles intersect in the interior of the castle - a combination of Moorish, Gothic and Baroque elements: here are stalactite columns, a throne room in the decadent-Byzantine spirit, and a singing hall with exquisite lighting, intended for staging Wagnerian operas. Each hall of the castle is a hymn to Wagner's operas, the heroes of German legends. The architects Dollmann and Riedel created Neuschwanstein inspired by the castles on the Rhine and the citadel at Nuremberg. At the same time, the entire building was equipped with the most advanced heating system for that time, and the kitchen had running water with cold and hot water. Unfortunately, the castle was never completed, so today only the fourth and fifth floors can be viewed. 
On the fourth floor there is a vaulted vestibule in the form of a trapezoid, the floor of which is composed of two million pebbles of a mosaic depicting flora and fauna. In total, the castle contains more than 360 halls, and the abundance of gold, jewelry and swans creates a heavy and pompous atmosphere. 
The Neuschwanstein throne room is reminiscent of the hall in the Grail castle from the opera Parsifal. Although the Throne Room was never completed, it is without a doubt the most impressive interior room in the castle. In it, the king wanted to sing the grace of God. A basil-like bookmark with a special niche for the throne was supposed to speak of a religious connection between God and the king. The floor plans, in a sumptuous Byzantine style, were created by Eduard Ille and Julius Hoffmann. This is a two-tiered hall with long rows of columns, decorated with imitation porphyry and lapis lazuli. Particularly beautiful in this room is the mosaic floor by Deton from Vienna. On its surface is a celestial globe with images of animals and plants. The columns of the lower and upper parts of the throne room are made of artificial marble. The lower part of the columns is purple, the upper part is made of artificial lapis lazuli. The Throne Hall ends with a semicircle of a gilded apse. Nine steps of Carrara marble lead to a platform where a throne of gold and ivory was supposed to stand. However, this was no longer destined to come true ... Under the shining blue firmament of the dome, Christ sits, surrounded by Mary and John, and below are the saint-kings: Casimir, Stephen, Henry, Ferdinand, Edward and Louis, made by the hand of Wilhelm Hausschild. To the right and left, next to the marble staircase, are depicted 12 apostles - bearers of God's will. The precious candelabra in the shape of a Byzantine crown made of gilded copper weighs 18 centners and holds 96 candles. 
The living room (or Grand Salon) contains the symbol of the legend of Lohengrin, the swan knight, with whom the king liked to compare himself - a vase in the form of a swan. Once, due to an oversight, water was poured into a vase, and it was possible to pour it out only by turning the massive work of art over. But the risk of breaking the wonderful vase in this case would be too great, and then they decided to sacrifice one swan's paw in order to save the entire vase from destruction and rid it of the already pretty rotten water. As a result, the swan's paw was broken off and water poured out of the hole, like from a tap. 
In the Hall of Singers under the king, no one sang - only in our time wonderful concerts began to be held here. Since 1933, classical music concerts have been held in Neuschwanstein as part of the Wagner Festival. Today they are held only in September, and tickets are sold out long before the start of the festival. The Hall of Singers is a copy of the hall of the Gothic castle in the Wartburg. The ceiling of the hall is decorated with wooden panels with patterns and images of the signs of the Zodiac. Wonderful ornaments adorn the walls of the hall, as well as the Singing Arcade. Directly under the Hall of Singers is an artificial grotto with stalactites and stalagmites appropriate in such cases. Now there is no water in it, although originally there was a small cascade. The royal kitchens are also located here - gigantic rooms, where, it seems, numerous servants and cooks are still scurrying around. 
On the ground floor there is a spacious royal kitchen with ovens and braziers, cutting tables and dishes polished to a shine. In order not to disturb the privacy of the king during the meal, a special mechanism was designed to transport the laid table from the kitchen to the dining room. The oak-paneled dining room is decorated with paintings by Ferdinand Riloti and Josef Aigner. They depict the minnesingers, as well as scenes from the legendary song contest at the Wartburg in 1207. 
From the windows of the castle and from the platform in front of the entrance to it, views of the magnificent landscapes of Upper Bavaria open up. 
By the way, another castle higher in the mountains was supposed to become part of the picturesque view, the construction plan of which was never implemented. 
In the end, the Bavarian government decided to get rid of the grandiose construction costs of the eccentric king, and, consequently, from himself. In accordance with the plan developed in the highest circles, on June 9, 1886, the most famous Munich psychiatrist Bernard von Gudden, having stocked up with the signatures of three more doctors who had never seen the king in his eyes, declared Ludwig mentally ill. Ludwig was well aware of the danger looming over him, but, nevertheless, he chose to go towards his death. The king was taken under guard from Neuschwanstein to the small castle of Berg on the shores of Lake Starnberg. There, the “sick man” behaved very calmly, and he was allowed to go for a boat ride, accompanied by Dr. von Gudden, without guards. When the king and the doctor did not return for dinner, they rushed to look for them. The bodies were found a couple of hours later. No witnesses to the incident were found. There are at least three versions of what happened that day on the lake: 1. The official version. Ludwig, who thought about suicide more than once, believed that the best way to die was to drown himself, since the body would not be crippled. On that day, he decided to leave this hated world, but the doctor tried to prevent the king, for which he paid with his life ... 2. Ludwig, being an excellent swimmer, decided to escape, but the doctor actively objected and was killed in a fierce battle, the experienced impressions were enough of a blow ... 3. Both the doctor and the king were drowned by members of the conspiracy from the cabinet of ministers or Ludwig's relatives, wanting to bring Ludwig's uncle, Prince Luitpold, to power as regent for the feeble-minded heir to the throne, Prince Otto ... After the death of the king, all construction and decoration of Neuschwanstein's interiors stopped, the castle was declared a national treasure and has been carefully preserved since then, being a special pride of the Bavarians, who once killed the dreamer who built it ... 
The spectacle of the life of Ludwig II ended here, work stopped here against the will of the king and the will of the inhabitants of the nearby village ... 
According to rumors, during the years of Nazism, one of the “ideological” divisions of the Third Reich was located in the castle, which studied the occult, the Nibelungs, runes and the German spirit. But even the Nazis, who brutally persecuted all sexual minorities, recognized that the romanticism of King Ludwig II was above all his vices. 
At the end of World War II, part of the Reichsbank gold was kept in Neuschwanstein Castle, and in the last days of the war, the gold was taken away to an unknown destination. According to rumors, it was drowned in the nearby lake Alat. The castle also kept stolen jewelry, paintings, furniture, which were intended for Hitler's personal collection. 
Tchaikovsky was once fascinated by the sight of Neuschwanstein, and it is here, as some historians believe, that the idea for the ballet Swan Lake was born. 
Often, due to its high-altitude location, the castle is shrouded in Alpine fog... At such moments, it seems as if it is floating in the void... 
Higher in the mountains above the gorge hung the romantic Marienbrücke bridge. The suspension bridge, even older than Neuschwanstein, is stretched 92 meters above a 45-meter waterfall. Originally a wooden bridge, replaced in 1866 with a modern metal structure, it takes its name from the mother of King Ludwig II, Queen Mary, Princess of Prussia. This bridge offers impressive views of the castle and surroundings, as well as a 45-meter waterfall. 
By the way, Neuschwanstein Castle was the inspiration for the construction of the Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland Paris.
The king of fairy tales, as his adoring subjects said. The only real king of the 19th century, according to the poet Paul Verlaine, and the mad king, from the point of view of his ministers - all these epithets refer to the eccentric King Ludwig II of Bavaria, whom many revere and criticize to this day.
Neuschwanstein Castle in winter.
Anyone who has visited the most exquisite creation of Ludwig II - Neuschwanstein Castle - or even just seen it in numerous photographs and postcards, is likely to find that the king is indeed more worthy of praise than blasphemy. It was this pseudo-medieval-style castle with many battlements on the walls and spiers that appear like a ghost in the middle of an evergreen forest surrounded by snow-capped mountain peaks that inspired Walt Disney to create fairy tales.
Drawing for the project of the castle, made in 1869.
Nineteen-year-old Ludwig became King of Bavaria in 1864. Fascinated by the historical legends of the Sun King, the grandeur of Versailles, and the music of Wagner, he shared the composer's obsessive passion for the idealized images of the German Middle Ages.
Ludwig II (left) with his parents and younger brother Otto, photographed in 1860.
Composer Richard Wagner, 1861.
The legends at the heart of Wagner's operas - the saga of Parsifal and the Holy Grail, the Nibelungenlied and the tale of the Knight of the Swan, Lohengrin - became the subject of cycles that adorned the halls of Neuschwanstein, one of Ludwig's three castles.
This work, which was directed by the architects Riedel and Dolman, was based on the plans of the theater artist Jank. Construction began in 1869 and ended in 1886 when the king died. It was because of this that the chambers of the upper floors remained empty and bare. In June of that year, Ludwig's ministers accused him of wasting public funds on ever more insane and eccentric architectural chimeras (the charges may not have been unfounded). The government forced the leading psychiatrist of Bavaria to declare the king mentally ill and incompetent without a personal examination.
Neuschwanstein castle interior.
Berg Castle, 1886
From Neuschwanstein, Ludwig was taken with respectful insistence to Berg Castle on Lake Starnberg, where he was carefully guarded.
Cross at the site of the death of Ludwig II, Lake Starnberg.
On the second day of the king's stay at Berg Castle, his body and the body of his doctor were found in the shallow waters of Lake Starnberg at 23:00. Earlier, at 18:30 on the same day, Ludwig II and Professor von Gudden went for a walk. No one else saw them alive. According to the official version, the doctor tried to prevent the suicide of the king and at the same time drowned himself, although the depth of the lake did not exceed 1.2 m.
King in later years of his life.
The king's cousin, the Austrian Empress Elisabeth of Bavaria (also known as Sisi) - perhaps Ludwig's closest friend - belongs to the only correct explanation of these events: “The king was not insane. He was just an eccentric person and lived in the world of his dreams. He could have been treated more mercifully."
Neuschwanstein castle interior.
The Allgäu area in Bavaria was of great strategic importance in the Middle Ages, so there were once four castles there. It was here that Ludwig decided to build his "delicate whipped cream toy". Preliminary drawings by Count von Pocci and Christian Janck show that the central part of Neuschwanstein was modeled after Wartburg Castle. Ludwig II insisted that the building blend in with its surroundings.
From spring to autumn, an amazing amount of building materials was brought here. In 1879-1880 alone, over 5,000 tons of Nürthing sandstone, over 510 tons of Salzburg marble and 400,000 bricks were needed for the construction. The entire façade was finished with limestone from Alterschrofen.
The furnishing and finishing of the interiors were carried out by architects who also specialized in theatrical scenery, stone carvers, painters and ceramics specialists. The total cost of the castle exceeded 6 million marks. His chambers are varied and extremely magnificent.
Most of them are decorated with paintings in which the heroes of the Germanic sagas and the sacred kings of Germany come to life. Characteristic in this sense is the Throne Room with its mixture of Gothic, Romanesque and Byzantine mosaic decorations and a crown-shaped bronze chandelier weighing over a ton.
The pieces of furniture are made in the Neo-Gothic style popular in that era. In addition to all this, the building, by decree of the king, was equipped with the latest technology - for example, electric bells and a fully functional kitchen.
On a high rock, where against the backdrop of heaven
A blackening forest has grown like a wild bowl,
Where in the midst of silence the waterfall only makes noise,
The white castle, like a swan, hovers over the forest.
Good afternoon friends!
Today I want to tell you about one of the most beautiful castles in the world - Neuschwanstein Castle. The history of its origin and the life story of its author and creator of the Bavarian king Ludwig II is already a reason to visit this place.
Neuschwanstein Castle (“New Swan Stone”) or “Swan Castle” is dreams, fantasies frozen in stone, love for medieval mythology and fantastic operas by Richard Wagner, refined and dreamy, in love with the beauty of King Ludwig II.
One of the passions of the "fairytale king" (at the end of his life recognized as insane) was the construction of new palaces. Among the luxurious and elegant castles he built (Linderhof, Herrenchiemsee, each of which can be attributed to world architectural masterpieces), Neuschwanstein Castle stands out for its unrealistic beauty of architecture and interior decoration. The impression that you find yourself in an amazing medieval world of noble knights and beautiful ladies is enhanced by the location of the castle.
In the Bavarian Alps, on a high hill (1000 m) above a deep gloomy gorge, an unusually light ephemeral structure rises, as if floating in the air, more like a mirage than a real castle.
Nearby are two mountain lakes Alpine (Alpensee) and Swan (Schwansee) . According to legend, it was in these places that the “swan knight” Lohengrin performed his exploits, rescuing the beautiful princess Odette, who was turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer. This medieval legend apparently possessed some kind of mythical and powerful energy force and inspired the poets and composers of that time to create outstanding works. An example of this is Richard Wagner's opera Lohengrin and the famous ballet Swan Lake by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
The magical charms of these places still fascinate everyone who has ever visited these places at least once. We recognize the familiar features and silhouette of the famous castle in the Sleeping Beauty Castle and in the emblem of the Walt Disney Studios.
A bit of the history of Neuschwanstein Castle
In these amazingly beautiful places in the north-east of Germany (Bavaria), in the castle of Hohenschwangau (which was restored in the first half of the 19th century by King Maximilian, father of Ludwig II), the childhood and youth of the future king of Bavaria passed.
Having become king at the age of 18, Ludwig II, seeking solitude and fascinated by the music of his friend, the composer Richard Wagner, begins the construction of the Neuschwanstein royal castle. He chose a place for it on a lonely rock near the castle of Hohenschwangau, the former summer residence of the royal family.
The castle was built from 1868 to 1886, until the death of King Ludwig II. After his tragic death, construction was stopped. The knight's room and the third floor were not completed, the construction of the cathedral in the Gothic style remained in the project, the interior decoration was not fully completed.
But even in its unfinished form, the castle, opened to the public shortly after the death of the king, has become an extremely popular place for tourists from all over the world.
Neuschwanstein Castle - the precious pearl of Germany
Official site: www.neuschwanstein.de
Panorama of Neuschwanstein Castle:
A five-story building, looking up, in the style of a romantic knight's fortress with luxurious interior decoration - the castle is the embodiment of the dream of Ludwig II, who identifies himself with the "Swan Knight" - the character of Wagner's opera, to build the incomparable beauty of the Swan Castle . And it is.
The enthusiastic reviews of visitors leave no doubt that Ludwig II's plan was a success, and, despite his will and desire, the castle continues to delight and many people are forced to admire its beauty.
Representing essentially a medieval fortress in form, a white-stone castle, elegant and slender, decorated with numerous balconies with arches, loopholes, round and pointed turrets, patterned windows, combining various architectural styles and decoration techniques - in general, creates an image of an airy and floating in the air lacy fairy tale castle.
The best craftsmen and painters, wood carvers and sculptors worked on the interior decoration of the castle.
Unique in beauty and performance are the carved wooden bed in the bedroom, the folding altar in the chapel, decorated with wooden carvings, paintings and wall paintings of the halls dedicated to the characters from the operas of Wagner, the beloved composer and friend of the king.
The swan motif is everywhere in the design of the castle: swans on furniture, tapestries, wall paintings, ceilings, stairs and passages.
The marble Throne Room, the dining room, the royal bedroom, the living room, the king's study, the singers' hall - each of these rooms is unique and is distinguished by original decoration, on which famous masters worked for a long time and carefully.
The windows of the castle offer a beautiful panorama of the picturesque surroundings. Not far from the castle there is another attraction - the suspension bridge Marienbrücke over the gorge. It offers a wonderful view of the castle, surroundings and a 45-meter waterfall.
When to visit Neuschwanstein Castle?
Neuschwanstein is interesting for both adults and children. In addition, many children are already familiar with the Swan Castle, because it is in such a castle that the Sleeping Beauty from the Walt Disney cartoons lives. Here you can see the original and briefly get into a wonderful fairy tale.
The castle is beautiful at any time of the year. And visiting it in winter has its advantages: fewer tourists and more time spent on excursions.
How to get to Neuschwanstein Castle?
Neuschwanstein Castle is located near the town of Fussen (Fussen) and 130 km from Munich.
From Munich, Neuschwanstein is easily accessible by car along the German Romantic Road or by train to Fussen with a change at Kaufbturen station. From Fussen, take a bus to the village of Hohenschwangau (7-10 minutes in time) or take a taxi.
Here in the gorge between two castles (Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau) there is a parking lot, a restaurant and a ticket center. Tickets are not sold in the castles, they can only be purchased here.
Tourists are delivered to the castle by horse-drawn carriage, mini-bus, or you can climb on foot (it takes about 20 minutes).
Neuschwanstein Castle opening hours
Neuschwanstein Castle is open daily (with the exception of Christmas holidays (December 24 and 25) and New Year (December 31 and January 1)).
Opening hours:
- 8.00 - 17.00 - in summer (until 15.10);
- 9.00 - 15.00 - in winter (16.10 - 27.03).
How much does a castle tour cost?
You can only visit the halls with guided tours, which are held in German and English and start every 5 minutes.
The cost of the tour of the castle (duration - 35 minutes):
- Adults - 12 euros;
- Children and students (under 18 years old) - free of charge;
- For persons over 65 years old, students and disabled people - 11 euros;
- For groups (from 15 people) - 11 euros.
The cost of the excursion from Munich is from 70 euros.
You can book your ticket online www.hohenschwangau.de at extra charge:
- 1.8 euros per person in 1 castle;
- for groups (from 15 people): 0.90 euros per person. And 1 lock.
When visiting both castles (Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein) on the same day, they usually buy a “King’s Ticket” (“Royal Ticket”):
- Adults - 23 euros;
- Children and students (under 18) accompanied by parents - free of charge;
- School groups - 11 euros;
- For persons over 65 years old, students and disabled people - 21 euros.
- In order not to waste time in the queue for a ticket or, even worse, not to buy tickets upon arrival due to their absence on the current day, use the ticket booking service on the official website of the castles. This is especially true at the height of the tourist season;
- If you want to visit both castles, expect that between visiting them you need to leave a margin of 1.5-2 hours. This will make it possible to calmly and without haste get from one castle to another;
- Tourists with large bags and strollers are not allowed into the castle. And if you are traveling with luggage, it is better to arrive at Füssen station early. The number of luggage storage at the station is limited, and all cells can be occupied after 9 am;
- Don't try to take pictures in the castle. It is forbidden;
- When purchasing a ticket, you can ask to give you a scheme (issued free of charge upon request), by which you can determine and correctly calculate the approximate time it will take to get to the castle on time;
- Also, when buying a ticket, you can ask for an audio guide in Russian;
- Check the information about the Bayern ticket in advance if you plan to visit Bavaria. By purchasing such a ticket, you can travel by train throughout Bavaria easily and cheaply. How to buy such a ticket and all the necessary information can be found on the Internet at the Deutsche Bahn (Deutsche Bahn) website: www.bahn.com.
Neuschwanstein is one of the most popular attractions in Bavaria. This building impresses with its beauty and incredible location. The idealistic castle, as if grown out of a rock, is visited annually by about 1.4 million people, of which a significant part is occupied by tourists from Russia, second only to the Chinese.
This region in the south of Bavaria is not only Neuschwanstein, but also excellent hiking trails in the foothills of the Alps. This is Füssen with its narrow streets and the turquoise river Lech. You should definitely come here for at least one day.
Neuschwanstein how to get from Munich
The castle is located in the foothills of the Alps in the southwest of the Bavaria region, near the town of Füssen. The nearest major tourist center with an airport to Neuschwanstein is Munich. The lion's share of tourists comes to the castle from this city.
Public transport
There is no direct rail or bus connection between Munich and Neuschwanstein. You can get to the castle only with a change in the town of Füssen, to which trains leave from Munich Central Station Hauptbahnhof.
You can get acquainted with the train schedule, as well as purchase tickets on the official website of the railways bahn.com. About which tickets to buy and how described below.
When planning a trip, be sure to check the schedule in advance. It differs depending on the day of the week. There are direct trains to Füssen, and the site also offers routes with one change. There is practically no difference in time. The fastest direct flight takes 1:47 minutes, and the longest with a transfer around 2:20.
Bayern ticket
Traveling in Germany by rail is a pleasure. For tourists, there are special travel cards that can be purchased for one day and ride unlimited in all directions in the region.
In this case, to get to Neuschwanstein, you need to buy a Bavarian ticket. It will allow you to travel by train to Füssen round-trip, and additionally there is a free bus ride to the commune of Schwangau.
Returning to the choice of a hotel, choose it closer to the historical part of Fussen, where restaurants are located and there is life. It is most convenient to look at the map of Booking hotels below.
Ticket office hours:
- from March 24 to October 15: 08:00 - 17:00
- from October 16 to March 23: 09:00 - 15:00
Opening hours of the castle (guided tours):
- from March 24 to October 15: 09:00 - 18:00
- from October 16 to March 23: 10:00 – 16:00
Should I go inside Neuschwanstein? It all depends on the personal preferences of the person. Someone likes to look at artsy furniture, tapestries and paintings, but someone does not find anything interesting in this. We did not enter the castle and preferred to spend the time we had on exploring the surroundings and trekking up the mountain.
From Schwangau to Neuschwanstein
The above is general information that should help with simple questions, how to get to the castle, where to buy a ticket and so on. Now I will move on to the description of the surroundings and personal experience of visiting.
Immediately from the bus stop in Schwangau, you can see Neuschwanstein Castle, which seems to have grown in the rock. You have to climb to such a height on foot, well, or use a carriage.
From here you can also see the valley and the foothills of the Alps, in which Neuschwanstein is located.
Here it is, the best view of Neuschwanstein and the valley. The castle appears in all its glory. It is amazing how this structure grows out of the rock.
The bridge itself is located over a hundred-meter abyss, in which the Pöllat River flows and connects two rocks. A very beautiful and breathtaking sight.
It is believed that King Ludwig, walking along Marienbrücke, admired the view of the valley, the surrounding nature, and then he had the idea to build a snow-white castle in this place.
The route itself, in fact, does not have any definite end or logical conclusion. Since this is the foothills of the Alps, everything here is literally cut up by paths. This path, if you go to the end, leads to the Tegelbergbahn cable car. How high to climb everyone must decide for himself.
Immediately after 10 minutes of climbing, there is another very good observation deck on Neuschwanstein Castle. It seems to me that it is not much inferior to the view from the bridge, but there are almost no people here. Most likely there will be a couple of people or none at all.
In addition to Neuschwanstein, there is a very good view of the same lake of the Alps from here.
In total, the ascent to this lookout takes about 40 minutes. The height difference is 180 meters, not so much.
You have to be extremely careful on the trail. During our ascent, frost began, and then it started to rain. The stones and the road underfoot become slippery, it is dangerous to walk, and it was difficult to see anything behind the rain and fog. In bad weather, it will be quite enough to climb to the first lookout.
In total, it took us about 1.5 hours to and from the Best Wiew in Town lookout.
Even with trekking, a visit to Neuschwanstein and the surrounding area will take no more than 3-4 hours. In other words, by about 14:00 the question arises of what's next. Some tourists immediately go from Schwangau to Füssen, and then to Munich, the other goes to see the Hohenshwangau castle. After Neuschwanstein, he seemed completely nondescript to me, so it was decided to pay attention to Fussen. For some reason, this city is undeservedly deprived of attention and is considered only as a transit, but in vain.
We visited Neuschwanstein in November, when daylight is very short, at 16:30 it becomes dark and there is essentially nothing to do in this area. We returned to Füssen from Neuschwanstein by 14:00, then spent an hour and a half at lunch in a restaurant. Accordingly, there was about an hour left to inspect this small town before dark.
When planning a trip, I advise you to allocate at least 2 hours to Füssen. This time will be quite enough, an hour turned out to be not enough for us.
The map shows the route for walking around Füssen. Of interest here is the central area, located between the railway station and the Lech River.
The main street of this village is Reichenstrasse. It has all the boutiques and restaurants. I recommend on the way back from Neuschwanstein not to stop for lunch near the castle or in Schwangau, but to eat at one of the local establishments. Cozy restaurants, very hearty portions and the best mulled wine - this is about Füssen.
It is only 500 m from the beginning of the street to the Lech embankment. Perhaps the main attraction of the city is the river, namely its color. Even on a cloudy day, Leh shimmers with shades of blue and blue, and on a sunny day, the sight is most likely incredible.
But still, the embankment is not the coolest feature of Füssen. About five hundred meters upstream of the Lech there is one very interesting structure. The blue waters of the river break down the rapids created by man into a narrow gorge, forming a kind of waterfall.
Here a bridge passes through Leh, there are no tourists at all. Amazing place, the color of the water is mesmerizing.
If it were not a November chilly day, but a sunny summer, then we would definitely stop here for a couple of hours on the river bank.
When planning a trip to the castle from Munich, you need to leave as early as possible so that you have enough time to slowly explore not only Neuschwanstein itself, but also the surrounding area. The optimal time to leave Munich is before 09:00 am. In this situation, by 11:00 you can already be in Schwangau.
Most tourists who come to see the castle are limited to just going inside and looking at the Marienbrücke. I advise you not to be lazy and be sure to take a hike up the mountain. In clear weather, the impressions of what you see will be amazing.
October 10th, 2011 , 10:19 pm
And finally, the main goal of our trip to the Bavarian Alps is Neuschwanstein. The bus dropped us off at Hohenschwangau, which is located near the city of Schwangau. From here you have a view of the mountain with the famous castle...
Hohenschwangau
Here, on another hill, the Hohenschwangau castle is located. The first mention of the fortress dates back to the 12th century. This castle-fortress was built by the knights of Schwangau. In the XVI century. the lineage of the knights of Schwangau ceased and the fortress began to gradually collapse. Crown Prince Maximilian of Bavaria, the future king Maximilian II bought these ruins, and in 1832-36. the castle was rebuilt. King Ludwig II spent most of his life in this castle, where he received the composer Richard Wagner.
Interestingly, until the 19th century this castle was called Schwanstein. And on the site of the current Neuschwanstein there were 2 fortresses - Front and Rear Schwangau. Thus, the castles, as it were, changed their names.
The castle has several interesting halls and rooms.
In the Hall of the Swan Knight, you can see images from the saga of the Swan Knight Lohengrin.
In 1833, Crown Prince Maximilian visited Turkey - hence the influence of the Turkish style on the furnishings of the queen's bedroom. Canapes were presented to the Bavarian crown prince by the Turkish Sultan Mohammed II himself.
The paintings of the Hall of Heroes depict the Welkin saga, which is part of the epic about Dietrich von Bern. The legend was lost in Germany, but later, thanks to the Norwegian retelling, it became known again in the 13th century.
In the Hohenstaufen room there is a piano, the so-called "Wagner piano", made of maple. King Ludwig II, being a good pianist, often asked Richard Wagner to play some of his works.
The chapel is decorated with two Russian icons, presented to the king by the Russian Tsar Alexander II.
Hohenschwangau Castle
To visit Neuschwanstein Castle, our entire bus was divided into 3 groups according to nationality. Each batch of tourists got their own time to visit the castle. The Russians ended up in the 3rd group, so we went to dinner first.
After lunch, we stomped to the castle, to which the road leads up the hill. The ascent on foot takes about 20-25 minutes. Around - beautiful nature.
Hohenschwangau
Those who wish can use horse-drawn carriages. Cars don't drive here. Only the tractor drove, clearing the road from snow.
Hohenschwangau
Neuschwanstein literally translates as "New Swan Rock". And if in Russian there is no big difference - Neuschwanstein or Neuschweinstein, then in German the swan cliff will turn into a pig.
Hohenschwangau
The surrounding landscapes are very beautiful.
Hohenschwangau
The tickets indicate the group number and the start time of the tour. There are turnstiles at the entrance to the castle until your time comes - you can’t go through. Audio guides are provided at the entrance. There is also Russian. The group is accompanied by an employee of the museum, who, at the entrance to a new room, cuts in the desired audio track.
Neuschwanstein Castle
Neuschwanstein is the most famous brainchild of the "fairytale king" Ludwig II. The first stone was laid on September 5, 1869. The construction was entrusted to the court architect Eduard Riedel.
Neuschwanstein Castle
In 1869-73. gates were built. Starting from 1873, construction work was carried out at a very intense pace. In 1883 the construction of the palace was completed. In the spring of 1884, the king could already live in his chambers on the 4th floor, where Ludwig II spent quite a lot of time in the last two years of his life.
Neuschwanstein Castle
Huge costs were required for the construction. The cement manufacturer alone, Jakob Lang of Schongau, supplied no less than 450 tons of cement in 1872. In the same year, Unhoh delivered 1,845 hectoliters of lime. Sandstone for the portal and bay window was brought from Nürtingen, Württemberg. For windows, arches, columns and capitals, marble from Salzburg was used. A huge amount of building material was lifted from the west side of the building in trolleys using a steam-powered crane. They were delivered and installed in the right place using a special system of lifting blocks. In 1880, 209 carpenters, masons and auxiliary workers were employed at the construction site.
Neuschwanstein Castle
Inside the castle is not as spectacular as Linderhof, but still there are interesting rooms here.
For example, the hall of singers. The king definitely wanted to build this hall, so the Neuschwanstein castle itself was built, as it were, around this hall. Numerous wall paintings illustrate motifs from the legend of Parzival, which inspired Wagner to create his work. During the life of the king, the hall of singers was not used in any way. Only in 1933, on the 50th anniversary of the death of the composer Richard Wagner and until the outbreak of war in 1939, festive concerts were held in the castle. In 1969 it was decided to resume concerts.
Neuschwanstein Castle
Despite the fact that the throne room was not completed, it is perhaps the most impressive. In it, the king wanted to sing the grace of God. Paintings by Wilhelm Hausschild over an empty throne place depict six kings who are numbered among the saints. The niche ends with images of Christ, Mary and John. To the right and left, next to the marble staircase, are the 12 apostles. Particularly beautiful in this room is the mosaic floor by Deton from Vienna. On its surface is a celestial globe with images of animals and plants. The columns of the lower and upper parts of the throne room are made of artificial marble. The lower part of the columns is purple, the upper part is made of artificial lapis lazuli.
Neuschwanstein Castle
Illustrations for Wagner's operas and old German legends play the main role in the interior of the castle. The whole architecture and artistic decorations of the castle are permeated with the swan motif. The swan is the heraldic bird of the old family of the Counts of Schwangau, the successor of this family was Ludwig's father, Maximilian II of Bavaria.
At the end of World War II, some of the Reichsbank gold was kept in the castle. In the last days of the war, gold was taken away in an unknown direction. According to rumors, it was drowned in Lake Alat. If we also recall the Austrian Lake Toplitz, then apparently the gold of the Reich is flooded in almost every second lake in this region.
Neuschwanstein Castle
The history of Ludwig II himself (1845-86) is quite tragic, in some ways it is similar to the fate of our emperors Peter III and Paul.
Ludwig became King of Bavaria at the age of 18 in 1864. He never married. In 1867, Ludwig became engaged to Sophia of Bavaria, then delayed the end (marriage) for more than six months, and in the end, unexpectedly for many, broke off the engagement. In the last years of his life, the king increasingly shunned the public. He retired to Neuschwanstein Castle, drinking champagne and cognac in excessive quantities. His debts grew, the construction of some castles was suspended. Day and night changed places with Ludwig, for which he was called the "moon king".
Neuschwanstein Castle
On June 8, 1886, a council of doctors, on the basis of the testimony of witnesses and without a personal examination of the patient, declared Ludwig II "incurably mentally ill." On June 9, the government rendered the King incapacitated. The king was taken under guard and transported to Berg Castle on June 12. On the evening of June 13, Ludwig went for a walk in the castle park with Professor von Gudden. Both of them died in the waters of Lake Starnberg under still unclear circumstances. Their bodies were found in shallow water around 23:00 on the same day. According to the official version, the doctor tried to prevent the suicide of the king and drowned himself in the process. But the exact picture of what happened that evening on the shores of Lake Starnberg remained unknown.
Neuschwanstein Castle
After the death of the king, all construction work was suspended. The third floor of the castle and the knight's quarters were not completed. The main tower of the castle with a Gothic-style church, 90 m high, which was supposed to rise above all the buildings, was not built at all. The western terrace, which was supposed to lead to the unfinished bath, was not finished either.
Neuschwanstein Castle
Neuschwanstein Castle is the inspiration for the Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Paris.
In 2007, when the New Wonders of the World were elected on the Internet, Neuschwanstein was among the 20 finalists, but did not make it into the coveted 7-ku. Oddly enough, the castle is not yet included in the UNESCO heritage list, it has only been a candidate since 2009.
Neuschwanstein Castle
The castle has the most beautiful view from the surrounding hills. Also a good observation platform is the bridge of Mary. The first wooden bridge was built in 1845 under Maximilian II and named after his wife, Maria Friederike of Prussia (mother of Ludwig II). The bridge is thrown across the Pollat gorge at an altitude of 92 m. To be honest, we did not see the road to it, and there was not much time left.
Mary's Bridge (Marienbrucke)
On the way back, the accompanying person invited everyone to sports bars, because. on this day, the local Bayern played in the playoffs of the Champions League in Milan with Inter. The Bavarians won 1-0. But, unfortunately, after 2 weeks they lost at home and were eliminated from the draw. And this season, Bayern will have to try doubly to perform more successfully, because it is the Munich Allianz Arena that will be the site of the League final in May 2012.
Hohenschwangau
In general, Bavaria is the Latin name for these lands. And in German (and in most others) the name Bayern is used. Even the beer "Bavaria" is not German at all, but Dutch.
On this, our stay in Germany ended, Austria - Salzburg is ahead again.
