Neuschwanstein

Ludwig built a reputation for renovation and construction of the royal palaces of Bavaria. He had three castles built under his direction - Neuschwanstein, Herrenchiemsee and Linderhof. Out of the three Neuschwanstein ("New Swan Stone") would be the more famous worldwide. More than six million people have visited the castle, yet Ludwig had no intention in allowing anyone in while he was alive. The Bavarian government lifted this restriction in order to pull itself out of the debt he made to build it. Visitors are not allowed to take photographs of the inside. The castle is the inspiration for three Disney castles – the logo, Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella. It is the most photographed castle and is a representation of a fairytale castle.  Ludwig wrote to Wagner, that is was castle in the “authentic style of the old German knights.” He also wrote to Wagner: "It is my intention to rebuild the old castle ruin of Hohenschwangau near the Pöllat Gorge in the authentic style of the old German knights' castles, and I must confess to you that I am looking forward very much to living there one day..." The Alpsee and Schwansee, near Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau, are great for swimming and with the Faulenbacher Tal form a nature reserve.

            Ludwig had named the castle "New Hohenschwangau Castle" (Neue Burg Hohenschwangau) but when he died the name was of the castle was named Neuschwanstein (New Swan Castle), unashamedly harks back to the German Romanesque of the 13th century. Neuschwanstein was built, starting in 1869, on a mountaintop next to Ludwigs' father's favourite castle Hohenschwangau, the construction to be only three years. A steam-powered crane and road locomotive (or steam tractoe) eased the movement of materials up the steep mountain. The castle is settled above the village Hohenschwangau close to the German-Austrian border and not far away from Füssen. Ludwig's father had already admired the scenery around Hohenschwangau. He had paths and lookout points built, as well as the "Marienbrücke" over the Pöllat Gorge which was present to his wife Marie, which was later renewed and made stable, these measures would not have improved its appearance in any way. But in 1866 Ludwig, despite it significance he found it ugly and had replaced the bridge with a more secure yet ornate filigree iron construction. The ruins of the two medieval castles, located on the narrow mountain ridge called "Jugend," had been visited frequently by Crown Prince Ludwig when he stayed at Hohenschwangau. There are numerous wall paintings depict scenes from Wagner's operas, that have dominant imagery of Christian glory and chaste love, and were likely intended to help Ludwig live up to his fathers religious ideals. Up until his death the castle was still being built, 200 to 300 workers a day, and one floor left unfinished to this day. For those outside of Germany it is by far the best known landmark there. The workers were covered by health an social 'insurance' that was exemplary for the time. Neuschwanstein was built on an island in the middle of Lake Chiemsee in the far east of Bavaria is in its own way equally remarkable. Ludwig chose Herreninsel on Lake Chiemsee because of its wonderful location, in the middle of Germany’s third-largest lake, within striking distance of the Alps. Near the end of 1873 the gatehouse, cased with red bricks, was completed and furnished, so Ludwig could live there during his visits to watch the further work on the castle. The chapel and the Moorish hall were amongst the objects abandoned after he died. Other structures were completed in a simplified form. Bavaria became a republic in 1918, and since then the Bavarian Palace Department managed Neuschwanstein. Thanks to its secluded location, the palace was not destroyed during the second world war.

            The design for the castle was planned by stage designer Christian Jank and Eduard Riedel was the architect of the project. Yet, during the building period Ludwig rejected original plans, he introduced new ideas and had so much control over the design that the result can be regarded as his design. Arcitect Julius Hofman provided the interior plans and in 1884 he took over to design both Burg Falkenstein and the Byzantine and Chinese palaces.  He would later be Luitpold's (Ludwig uncle) senior architectural advisor. The castle consists of several individual structures decorated with towers, turrets and sculptures. The castle stretches about 150m on top of the ridge. According to the plans, at the western end there should have more than 200 rooms, but only 15 rooms and halls were completed. Ludwig  dreamed of journeying to Neuschwanstein by balloon. There is a spacious two-story balcony that punctuates from the west front where he could bask up the beauty of the sunset. On the west facade only visible from a distance through a talescope or powerful telephoto lens, grotesque heads with wild eyes and fierce grimaces ward off evil here. The round arches of the loggia give the facade a Romanesque or Norman tinge. In one drawing of the castle by Jank a tall keep was shown but never built. A conservatory had also been built here, for it may be smaller than the one at the residential palace in Munich it has been preserved to this day – unlike the one in Munich.

            The Connecting Building links the Palas with the Gateway building. The latter was first to be completed and used by Ludwig as a temporary apartment during the construction. Richly ornamental capitals frame the grand view of the Bavarian mountains from the west balcony. The left building is still referred to as the Bower and the right as the Knight's House. In the middle is the Palas or great hall, as the main living quarters of a medieval castle is usually called. The doors to less important rooms are still elaborately decorative. In May 1884, Ludwig moved into his living quarters on the third floor of the Palas. His study was equipped with furniture by Anton Pössenbacher, textiles by the Jörres sisters and lights by Eduard Wollenweber. The murals show scenes from the Tannhäuser saga. The baldachin in the bedroom is an orgy of mock Gothic carving, its design highly ornate and beautifully intricate. Ludwig had a washbasin with hot and cold running water installed here – not surprisingly in the shape of a swan. The bedroom is the only neo-geothic room in an otherwise neo-Romanesque castle. Modern techniques, like the iron pillar, were decoratively hidden. In one painting one sees Tristan's farewell. Next to the bedroom is his small private chapel. The Salon (or living room) is the Swan Alcove where he liked to read. The Alcove has decoratively sculpted capitals top the pillars which separate it from the rest of the Salon. The large mural by Wilhelm Hauschild show the miracles of the Grail and Lohengrin's selection by the Holy Grail.

            The places open to tourists are the grounds, the king's residential quarters, the servant's rooms, the kitchens and the monumental throne room. The throne itself was never completed, although there are sketches showing how it might have looked when finished. Ludwig even chose to wallow in the Middle Ages at mealtimes. The dining room is decorated with motifs of the Wartburg Castle Singers' Contest, while the table is crowned with a centrepiece depicting Siegfried's battle with the dragon. His sleeping quarters show a clear Gothic influence and are even embellished with details referencing Wagner's operas. The dressing table even has a swan-shaped tap inspired by “Lohengrin”. The Grotto, located between the salon and the study, is by far the most unusual room. A small waterfall and coloured lighting created the impression of a mysterious cave and a hidden opening in the ceiling enabled him to listen to the music in the Singers' Hall above.

            The Singers' Hall is the largest room in the castle. When Ludwig visited Wartburg Castle in 1867, he was impressed with the Singers' Hall that he had one built in his own here incorporating aspects of a banqueting hall. The Singers' Hall is the largest room (27x10metres). Ludwig was able to enjoy the hall in its full construction – if only for a small amount of time. It was one of Ludwig's favourite projects, inspired by the Sängersaal at Wartburg Castle. Swirling patterns, miniature pillars with richly decorated capitals and huge murals between the windows adorn the long side of the hall. One being of Parsifal being made king if the Holy Grail by Kundry. Standard lamps lit with candles create an ethereal glow, and the murals illustrate romantic and heroic scenes like the wedding of Parsifal and Condwiramurs and Parsifal's battle with the Red Knight.

            The throne room and castle as a whole was Ludwig's nineteenth century attempt to revive the Middle Ages, with the employing some of the latest architectural techniques. The Throne Hall with 20x12 metres is the 2nd largest room in the palace. The designs for the throne room, some of the most complex of the nineteenth century, were even drawn up by Ludwig. Just like buildings today the supporting iron framework was concealed beneath plaster. Built from 1881, the splendid throne room was never actually used and still lacked a throne – a bad omen. The centre dome of the throne room is based off the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople (which is now Istanbul). The original had to be shored with supports as  it threatened to collapse. Ludwig use technology to build a supporting iron construction around it. This probably made securing the enormous chandelier easier and safer. The decorative and ornamental frescos on the rounded arches give the room a distinctive Byzantine appearance. Today some may find the blue and gold too much, but it was all the rage at the time. The apse was inspired by the church of All Saints Court Church in Munich. The symbols of the Evangelists are depicted in the transverse arch, with angels in the ceiling spandrels proffering the symbols of kinship. Among the six holy kings dotted amongst the palm trees is the French ruler St Louis, Ludwig namesake. Underneath the lower row of pillars, murals depict the deeds of the holy kings where they are continued on the upper story. The Singer's Hall is in the upper story is the climax of the tour to the castle, which is based on the Historicist room of the same name at the Wartburg near Eisenach.