Perhaps it’s best to visit Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany without knowing anything about its history or why it was built. Europe’s most famous castle, creation of King Ludwig II of Bavaria, is set in a perfect location – to the south, enchanting green hills rising to snow-capped mountain peaks, fields as far as the eye can see, and sapphire lakes to the north. Forests cover the hills and hide everything from view except the tall castle towers.
Is there any other castle more suitable for a princess? Is there any doubt that the knight who called this place home was anything but an honest and wise man? But what about the Neuschwanstein Castle history?
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Neuschwanstein Castle was not inhabited
As you walk along the cobbled road leading to the castle, you dream of invading hordes of robbers, bearing torches, and making a hellish noise. The white walls and red brick gate seem an invincible defense – insurmountable and yet enchanting.
The ogres in your dream have not been struck down by a cloud of arrows aimed at them but by the blinding light of righteousness and beauty that hovers over the entire castle and surrounds the brave knight.
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Neuschwanstein is a dream castle that will become an unforgettable memory. Surrounded by the dream of light and beauty, you can make your entrance into the castle. In fact, after a visit, you will only remember the dreams you had inside, as the guided tour is nothing more than a quick trip through the rooms made for the show-off and not to live in. And the corridors are empty and cold.
They are cold because no one has ever lived here. There has been no knight or princess, and the castle was built long after the last headman hung his torch on his nail and relocated to another domain. Maybe you weren’t supposed to know all this, or maybe the drama of these lines will help you imagine your own version of this place when you go to Fuessen in southern Bavaria and visit Disneyland Castle.
Castle of a madman: King Ludwig II of Bavaria
So, if no one lived here, why was the castle built? Well, it was built to house the lonely soul of Ludwig II, the mad king of Bavaria, the last descendant of a dying class of nobles. Ludwig II believed that this magical castle would eventually bring him happiness in a secluded part of his kingdom, far from political conflict and court life.
He built Neuschwanstein as a shrine to the nobility of the past, when German knights fought in armor against Turkish armies and princesses actually lived in the castle towers – it was a dream castle made for a dreamer, left behind with the remnants and endings of his wild dreams.
Richard Wagner, the great dream weaver, was the temple’s main idol, and his work gave the architecture a touch of Teutonic mysticism. He lined the walls of the pathways with old German poems and gave poor King Ludwig a blanket to wrap himself in during the 172 days he spent at Neuschwanstein.
Bankers are the obstacle that stands in the way of any dreamer. Ludwig II couldn’t use only his own money to build this dream castle; the problem was that even he, as a king, didn’t have enough to see his dream take shape. He ended up owing millions of marks and was driven from his castle by debt collectors.
Could anything be worse for a man like Ludwig II than to have his dream taunted by the cold, iron fist of finance? The answer is no, and although there is no evidence, the good king threw himself into nearby Lake Starnberg the day after being approached in a totally rude manner by his creditors, ending up drowned. Mysteriously, the man who had come for the money also died in the same place.
Now you know everything. Neuschwanstein is a beautiful dream, and when you get there and greet the marble and lime gates of the most beautiful palace in Europe, you must pay homage to the king by letting yourself fall like prey while you are in this place of splendor.
After reading all this, don’t you dream yourself a knight in shining armor hearing the giggling laughter of noble ladies?
Opening hours of Neuschwanstein Castle are:
- April to 15 October: 9 am-6 pm
- 16 October to March: 10 am-4 pm
- Neuschwanstein Castle is open every day, except 1 January and 24 / 25 / 31 December.
- The tickets price for visiting Neuschwanstein Castle is 15 euros (adult). Entrance of persons under 18 years old is free.
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