Land of Fairytales, Swans, Wagner and Mad Kings!
Trip Start
Oct 18, 2006
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17
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Trip End
Oct 19, 2007
Fussen,
Germany
Monday, February 12, 2007
I had officially arrived in Bavaria, near the Austrian border and on the Romantic road....but it didn't feel very romantic, as it was wet and raining. But my reason for visiting this part of Germany was not for romance but to go in search of the land of fairy-tales..which in this case took shape at Neuschwanstein castle.
Neuschwanstein Castle provides a fascinating glimpse into what happens when a romantic king with a well-developed ego and questionable grasp of reality has an unlimited interior design budget
01- Füssen town
. This huge castle, which can be reached on a short 20 minute bus ride from Füssen, and then a 30 minute walk up a hill (be warned of the lovely smell you are following of what the horse buggies leave behind!), is reputedly what inspired Walt Disney's famous castle and Sleeping Beauty's castle. Built by the slightly mad King Ludwig, this fairy tale kings medieval castle literally took my breath away. Although it didn't look that amazing the the drizzle as l was walking up the hill to reach it (it actually looked rather grey and morbid) it was the interior which astounded me. Amazingly the castle has never been finished, and the tour only took us around one of the floors. Also amazingly, the king only lived in the castle for under a year before dying. Beside the castle on the other hill (5 km away) is the very yellow Hohenschwangau Palace, where King Ludwig II once spent his happy childhood and where you can learn more about this slightly mad King.
King Ludwig II (1845-1886), who met his death under mysterious circumstances in Lake Starnberg, is a fascinating figure. Every year millions of visitors stream into the palaces of this shy monarch, who loved art and music and loathed state affairs. As l said the interior of the castle astounded me. Never in my life have l seen such lavish decorations, rooms and furniture
02- Lovely Füssens main street
. The king had a fascination with Richard Wagner's operas (and was personally friends with the composer) and swans and the whole interior of the castle is dedicated to his two loves. You literally feel like you are walking through a fairytale or admist one of his operas as you walk through beautiful rooms with fresco's of Tristan and Isolde painted around, a small cave adjoining his library and dressing room, swan doorknobs, swan shaped basins and even swan chandeliers! It is all a bit crazy, over the top and over whelming....but is a definite must see!The view on a beautiful day would also be amazing, over looking the Bavarian mountains and the aqua blue lake below the castle. Unfortunately the weather was not so kind to me, and the famous Jugend lookout point (a two minute walk from Marien Bridge) which overlooks the castle and the waterfall beside it was closed due to the snowy conditions. Despite the terrible weather l was so glad l visited this crazy but beautiful castle...you cannot take photos within the castle so you will just have to visit it to see it, and l will just have to hold the amazing images in my memory and draw upon them from time to time as myself and Ludwig shared two common loves...opera and swans...though l dare say l hope my home is not such a dedicated shrine to them!
