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Published: October 20th 2010
Hohenschwangau Castle
View of the palace from outside.We started our Tour of Bavaria at Monday morning. We had to get to Hohenschwangau village and we decided unanimously to go there by foot, the distance is just two kilometers (in English Hohenschwangau might mean upper Schwangau). During we were walking towards Hohenschwangau village we admired the local landscape and we had to admit Bavaria is really posh - even pasture's grass was cut and we couldn't spot any litter over the streets, really nothing. For me it was a bit shocky because I got used to see litter everywhere in UK. So german Bavaria is different world. How to get by foot from Schwangau to Hohenschwangau? Very easy. Wanderer must leave hotel and go left and after turn right to Schloβstraβe (it means Castle street) and we carry on the same way until we reach the village. For help we can use arrows with directions, I'm sure everyone is able to do it! :P
Castle Hohenschwangau is located next to lake Alpsee, second one - castle Neuschwanstein was build pretty high at the top of steep hill and is much better visible. Firstly we must book a tickets before we go or drive to Hohenschwangau. You can do this
Hohenschwangau Castle
View of the Neuschwanstein castle from Hohenschwangau castle's courtyard. here. Admission tickets as we heard have to being booked in at least one day advance and we had done it shortly before I departed from England to continent week earlier. Cost for tour of both castles per one adult - 17 euro with discount. Everyone gets discount if already booked any room in Kreis Ostallgäu (that part of Bavaria, in English Kreis means district). This card is called Gästekarte and it is valid in whose of territory of Ostallgäu. Ticket centre is very easy to find in the main street. Obviously wheather was bad but we ignored that. Shop with souvenirs we found also in the main street - Alpseestraβe.
When the visitors are getting into the Hohenschwangau castle (we must visit in this castle if we bought tickets for both) they are scanning their tickets and short after all of guest receives the electronic guide. This is handset and guide voice running in each chamber during the tour.
Foundation for the construction of Hohenschwangau Castle were ruins of 12th century fortress. In German the name of the castle is Schloβ Hohenschwangau. King
Maximilian II of Bavaria initiated the construction of castle in 1829. He desided to build his
Hohenschwangau Castle
View from down to top - everyone who would like to get into must climb up quite big number of steps. new residence in Hohenschwangau because he considered the beautiful landscape and good location regarding diffirent important towns in the country. King purchased a ground in 1832 and one year after the works were initiated. The construction of this castle was finished eventually in 1837. Main architect and designer had been Domenico Quaglio Younger and thanks to him Hohenschwangau Castle has neogothic appearance.
This was summer residence for king Maximilian II, his wife Maria of Prussia and their two sons - Ludwig (afterwards Ludwig II) and Otto (afterwards Otto I). short after death of king Maximilian II, his son Ludwig started to live with mother up to his new residence will be finished. That residence was Neuschwanstein and it is located very from Hohenschwangau castle. Ludwig II of Bavaria was observing by telescope the construction and considered the progress. The room is included in tour through the castle's chambers. Mother of king Ludwig II had lived in this castle until her death in 1889, much later than her son died. Afterwards the main tenant was brother in law of Maria of Bavaria and thanks to him the castle was electrified. After his death in 1912 castle Hohenschwangau was turned from
royal family residence to museum. This museum works till present day.
A few words from our team. This castle or palace (up to how to consider that) is really recommended to visit because it is interesting inside and not so overloaded of attractions as Neuschwanstein. Common tourist would be able to remember someting what was seen inside the palace. Taking pictures is banned in all of Ludwig's II palaces. Nothing surprising for me - it will be really very awkward for everyone when some people will run with flashes and shoot one by one picture per few seconds. I agree with this - no pictures. No touch as well. Running time in this castle - roughly 25 minutes. We hold our handsets and walk from one chamber to another, slowly and without unecessary haste.
After we finish we might go to the second castle - Neuschwanstein but we must consider we would have any spare time, should be about one hour. That time when we had being there was raining but despite of that inconvenience Hohenschwangau was overcrowded. There some different ways to get to second palace instead do what we had done. We got overthere by foot,
but some different tourist might buy ticket for bus (rather unattractive) or go up to the castle in a carriage drawn by two horses, more attractive in humble opinion.
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