Castles & Palaces
Neuschwanstein Castle – Germany's fairytale castle
Neuschwanstein Castle is a powerful symbol the world over thanks to its idealised romantic architecture combined with the tragic love story of its owner, King Ludwig II of Bavaria.
When work began to build Neuschwanstein Castle in 1869, Ludwig II brought together elements from Wartburg Castle and from the fictional Castle of the Holy Grail from Wagner's opera 'Parsifal'. As a king without any real power, he decided to devote more of his time to the fine arts. He created his own fantasy world of myths and fairytales, as can be seen in the Singers' Hall – a combination of the singers' hall and banqueting hall at Wartburg Castle, only larger and more magnificent. The only difference being that no singing or banqueting ever took place here.
The Throne Room reaches heights of 15 metres and dazzles with extravagant decor in a gold and blue colour scheme. Ludwig II, however, focused most of his attention on the Hall of the Holy Grail, which saw him follow up his longing for the Middle Ages with the latest technology of the time. The King reverted back to the Middle Ages at meal times too, with scenes from the Wartburg Singers' Contest adorning the walls in the dining hall. The grotto, with its small waterfalls and colourful lighting, is another highlight that is supposed to create the impression of a stalactite cave.