Neuschwanstein Castle - Disney castle in Bavaria

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When we finished the first tour we followed by the program and we went towards second castle, much more famous - Neuschwanstein Castle. German: Schloβ Neuschwanstein - I can translate this as New Swan Stone castle or something like that. because We had any spare time we walked a bit and we spent most of that time in shop with rubbish stuff for tourists (this is my opinion someone might has an opposite one). Ania purchased someting, I ignored these stuff as usual because I have no enought room to keep this kind of souvenirs from all my trips in home :P Still was raining, but we didn't take that as obstruction and we went towards Neuschwanstein. We weren't alone, no definitely no - crowd of tourists followed in the two opposite directions - towards and from the castle. We had to go up but not so far away and that walk was really pleasant.

The castle looked pretty impressive when we approached, it is really big building. Impression enhances because that castle was build at the top of hill. Any tourist before may enter inside to the castle courtyard must watch to the board with flashing numbers and compare these ones with this one on his or her ticket. Everyone visitor belongs to any given group - we had number 37 and when that number appeared on board we came inside throught gate. Tickets are scanned automatically and everything going well. Inside we received handsets with guide voice in Polish our native language. I have respect for Bavaria ministry that take care of these palaces - they consider people from any nation might visit and they provide them guide in their language, very polite in my opinion.

OK, brief description.


Neuschwanstein has the mixed style of neoromantic and neogothic located obviously in Bavarian village Hohenschwangau nearby Austrian border and over the Pöllat gorge in Bavarian - Tirol Alpes. The construction had started at 5th of September 1869. All the the chambers inside are very carefully made with many decorations. The most interesting chambers are: Hall of the Singers (big and spacious hall), Throne Hall (throne chair for Ludwig II made of ivory has never come to his castle), Bedroom, Drawing Room, Study Room and Dining Room - all of these chambers are included in tour of Neuschwanstein castle.

King Bedroom chamber has made of neogothic style, there king the king Ludwig II of Bavaria liked to read and pray. Tha walls in Bedroom are decorated of murals pictures the legend of Tristan and Izolda. My attendance was caught by big and wide bed with decorations in the top of canopy as cathedral shape. In the Hall of the Singers had taken plane numerous of Wagner's music concerts because Ludwig II of Bavaria was a patron of Richard Wagner. The murals from that chamber display life of legendary Parsifal. King had never let inside the palace all of his staff - for most of them that was privilege when they could get inside the castle and admire that Byzantine splendor. Only the most trusty servants and supporters could do it.


Too large amount of money spent on the construction of this castle and bizarre king's habits upset the authorities strongly enought that they have made up mind to get rid of the incommodious ruler. At the 9th of June 1886 the Bavarian government decided to dispose of king by prove his mental illness. Ludwig II at that time had spent a lot of time in his bedroom in Neuschwanstein where the guards found him. Some of medical commitees accompaniated the guards and they let to capture the king Ludwig II, eventually lord was forced to sign act of abdication. Short after that event just three days after king's body was found into waters of Starnberg lake nearby castle Berg where he was kept in his last days.

For me that king maybe had been bizarre even crazy but he had his own vision and he really create a masterpiece palaces. Moreover he left for his ancestors big fortune - nowadays the government achieves incredible big income for tourism. Thousands of tourists visited Ludwig's II of Bavaria palaces (called castles) and they arrive from whole of the world. We spot even more tourist from east Asia (China, Thailand, Japan, Korea) than from Europe and America. By the way - almost no black or muslims tourists (very few). Some tourists weren't so nice (noisy) but it is normally I think.

Taking a pictures inside any of Ludwig's II castles are not permitted and I agree with this idea. Touring looks like that - tourist in groups of 30- 40 people each walking from chamber to another one and admire the chambers decoration and craft, moreover they must to listen the guide voice running from thei handsets. That will really pointless when some people will take a pictures and disturb the other ones. That will be risky for exhibition as well, when people might take a pictures they move more violently and touch everything, shouting, flashes dazzle the others etc. There are too many tourists to manage with that than they have banned taking a pictures and I support that. I could saw everything without any stress. :-)

In Neuschwanstein some tourists could get one problem. Tour though the castle's chamber seems a bit like cattle chase. Really sometimes we have no enought time to find a stuff that guide mention in present time - too little time to see everything and even worse we have no chance to remember what we have seen in previous chambers. Very commercial but they want to get an income I understand this attitude. Demand creates supply.

There is one nice opportunity to see castle inside more comfortable and spend inside more time. That's call Monday Night Tour or Monday Evening Tour. This is about 2 hours of sightseeing with live guide not handset and obviously participants would see much more than common touring at the day time. Highly recommended, we met some people in Tuesday and they told that was much better then usual chase thought the castle. How to book it? Easy. When you will book your tickets just ask for it. Aha, one thing. Most of these evening/night excursions would be led by German speaking guide, I'm not sure exactly. You must ask if someone is interested and book in advance.

Shopping. You can spend a lot of money overthere, especially in the shops with tourists stuff. Plenty of items were marked of likeness of the King Ludwig II (no surprise if we consider of income from these palaces). Prices as prices in the touristic resort, food quite expensive but much better than that one from UK.

I would like to recommend these castle: Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau. Masterpieces of craft and as I heard woodcarvers or painters spent even couple of years in any given chamber to preparing it for their king.

Next day we have visited on the Marienbrücke (Brigde of Maria) from where I have taken the most impressive pictures of Neuschwanstein castle. The Marienbrücke is lokated over the Pöllat gorge. The river flows about 90 meters below and the bridge were constructed straight over the waterfall. That waterfall has 45 height. From the Marienbrücke we can see Neuschwanstein Castle but landscape as well. Very nice and at Tuesday wheather has become better, sun shone. Those pictures if you'd like to take anyone overthere would look like the postcards.

To Marienbrücke you get by direction these you will spot anywhere in the area. Piece of cake but being prepared you would go up.


More pictures of Neuschwanstein Castle you would find in entry regarding Tegelberg. That was the same trip.

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Photos

Neuschwanstein castle
Close look

Neuschwanstein castle
Close look

Neuschwanstein castle
Distance look

Neuschwanstein castle
Distance look

Neuschwanstein Castle
View from Marienbrücke.

Neuschwanstein castle
View from Marienbrücke - zoomed

Neuschwanstein castle
Castle visible from road when were walking towards it.

Pöllat Gorge - waterfall
If you see down you would see waterfall.

Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles
Both castle are visible from cable car.

Neuschwanstein visible from Tegelberg
I took this picture while we were riding in cable car.

Neuschwanstein by night
We drove to Hohenschwangau to see the castles at the night.