Fortress of Dreams for a Fairy Tale King
Today, Neuschwanstein is one of the most popular castles and fortresses in Europe. Around 1.3 million people visit the castle of the "Fairy Tale King" every year. During the summer months, an average 6.000 visitors per day make their way through the rooms that were originally intended for a single inhabitant.
Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria, South Germany Photographic Print
The Building of a Fortress
A brief history of the construction of Neuschwanstein Castle
Construction on the future building site commenced in the summer of 1868. Up to 8 meters of rock had to be removed to make way for the foundation. The new road leading up to the castle was finished in June 1869. The cornerstone was laid on September 5, 1869, and it contained the blueprint, a portrait of the king and a few coins from his period of regency. State of the art construction methods were employed for the technical features as well as the materials used. The foundation was cast in concrete, whereas the walls were made of traditional brick encased in light colored lime stone siding.
The first part to be erected was the gate house. It was ready by the end of 1873 and served as Ludwig II's primary residence for many years. Construction of the palace commenced in 1872. The great hall with the throne was commissioned by Ludwig II as an afterthought and, due to structural considerations, required a modern iron construction for stability.
The "topping out" ceremony was held on January 29, 1880. Excepting minor details, the technical and artistic features weren't completed until mid-1884.
Until his very end, Ludwig II. never got to see his fortress as anything else but a construction site. The bower and the square tower neared completion only in 1892.
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Who was King Ludwig II. of Bavaria?
About the commissioner of Neuschwanstein Castle
Ludwig II (Ludwig Friedrich Wilhelm; sometimes rendered as Louis II in English) (August 25, 1845 - June 13, 1886) was king of Bavaria from 1864 until shortly before his death. He is sometimes referred to as the Swan King in English and der Maerchenkoenig (the Fairy tale King) in German.Ludwig is sometimes referred to as Mad King Ludwig, though the accuracy of that label has been disputed. Because Ludwig was deposed on grounds of mental illness without any medical examination, and died a day later under mysterious circumstances, questions about the medical "diagnosis" remain controversial.
Ludwig is best known as an eccentric whose legacy is intertwined with the history of art and architecture, as he commissioned the construction of several extravagant fantasy castles (the most famous being Neuschwanstein) and was a devoted patron of the composer Richard Wagner.
Interior Design | Decor
Inspired art work within the castle
Neuschwanstein castle bore exemplary witness to the dreams and aspirations of Ludwig II. The castle was more of a hideaway than a stage for royal representation. It was here that Ludwig II. withdrew into his dream world of the poetic middle ages.The castle's art work was inspired by the operas of Richard Wagner, whom he dedicated Neuschwanstein Castle. It was not so much the stage imagery of Wagner's works but rather the lore and tales of the middle ages which also served as inspiration to Richard Wagner himself.
The art displayed on the walls of the castle are themed around tales of love, guilt, repentance and redemption. Kings and knights, poets and lovers inhabit the halls. Three figures are of central significance: Tannhauser, the poet; Lohengrin, Knight of the Swan, and his father Percival (Parzival, Parsifal), king of the Holy Grail. They were Ludwig's role models and soul mates.
Interior photographs of Neuschwanstein Castle
Photography by albany_tim.
Walls and ceilings of the coronation room in Neuschwanstein.
The coronation room of Neuschwanstein. The mural is of St George. The floor is a...
The music room in Neuschwanstein. Ludwig II was a hug fan of Wagner, and each ro...
Ludwig's bedroom. The bathroom sink to the left has a swan faucet and swans carv...
Neuschwanstein Castle Interior - Antique Reprints
Location! Location! Location!
Neuschwanstein Castle is nestled in the foothills of the Bavarian Alps. Can you spot the castle in this panoramic picture?
Visitor's Photos of Neuschwanstein Castle
Neuschwanstein Castle is surely one of the most picturesque tourist attractions in Germany, if not the world. You don't need to be a professional photographer or wield a fancy camera to shoot some amazing pictures around here.
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Nan Palmero at Neusc...
Ashley and Nan Palme...
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Bridge at Neuschwans...
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The climb to Schloss...
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Restaurant near Neus...
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Neuschwanstein Rabble in the Twittersphere
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- deejayicec
- Diesen Freitag:FINAL CLASH (Xzibit, Beatnuts,MastaAce,Edo G,Akrobatik) AFTERSHOWPARTY @ Club Neuschwanstein! BE THERE!!!
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- drliebert_touri
- Hitliste dtsch.Sehensw.: Wartburg Nr. 5 & Völkerschl.dkm. L 6, Zwinger DD "erst" 8. 1=Köln.Dom, 2=Brandb.Tor B, 3=Frauenk.DD+Neuschwanstein
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- veggarden
- superman retter der kunst << http://toyib.deviantart.com/art/Neuschwanstein-1945-139274187
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- Dibuxacolalluz
- Photo: (via architectureblog) Neuschwanstein Castle, Schwangau, Germany [full size] by tossmeanote http://tumblr.com/xld4imova
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- Infinance_de
- Allen einen schönen Start in die Woche. Meiner wirds bestimmt. Termin in #Schwangau mit sicht auf #Schloss #Neuschwanstein !
A Visit To Neuschwanstein Castle
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King Ludwig's fairytale castle served as inspiration to Disney's Cinderella Castle. EverythingMouse put together this fantastic lens that tells you all there is to know about it:-
Disney's Cinderella Castle
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Want to know the secrets of Cinderella's Castle? Maybe even get a look at what is inside? If you think of Disney World then the first image that comes into your head is probably Cinderella's Castle. This amazing structure is the focal point of Disney...
Neuschwanstein Castle by Lenox
Want your own castle but got no foothills to build upon? Here's a solution to your dilemma: A beautiful collectible mini version of Neuschwanstein Castle by Lenox.
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
Neuschwanstein Castle Links
Castle on a Mountain, Bavaria, Germany | Framed Art Print
If you are interested in exploring the web for more information about Neuschwanstein Castle here's a collection of relevant links.
- Bavarian Palace Department | Palaces | Neuschwanstein Castle
- Short description of Neuschwanstein Castle including information for tourists like opening hours, admission charges etc
- Bayerische Schl%uFFFDsserverwaltung | Neuschwanstein
- Official Homepage of Neuschwanstein Castle
I hope you have enjoyed this journey to Neuschwanstein Castle as I have enjoyed making this lens for you. Perhaps you've been able to see it for yourself and would like to share your impression? Or has this lens inspired you to visit it sometime in the future? Whatever the case may be, I'd love to hear from you.
Thank you for visiting, I hope to see you again soon!
P.S.: Please have a look at the Neuschwanstein Book Selection below. Thank you!
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- janices7 janices7 Jul 8, 2009 @ 2:01 pm
- Great lens with fantastic photos! I visited Neuschwanstein several years ago and it was amazing. I was thrilled that they had a bus that would take you up to the bridge overlook because I'm partially disabled with a scooter so walking or scooting all the way up there wasn't an option. It is truly an amazing site to see. 5*
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- tandemonimom tandemonimom Jun 30, 2009 @ 11:11 am
- What a gorgeous castle! And a great lens to showcase it! Welcome to Rulers and Royalty!
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- roamingrosie roamingrosie Jun 13, 2009 @ 7:30 pm
- I LOVE Neuschwanstein! I've been there twice. Bavaria is soooo pretty and the castle is beautifully striking against its gorgeous backdrop! Great lens.
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- GrowWear GrowWear May 31, 2009 @ 6:46 am
- Such a beautiful land and castle. Stunning photographs. Thank you for this trip; I do hope to get there one day.
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- papawu papawu May 20, 2009 @ 6:15 pm
- What a beauty it is. Almost looks like the Disney castle though.lol. I am lensrolling this to two of my castle lenses.
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Books about Neuschwanstein Castle and King Ludwig II
About
Neuschwanstein Castle by Squidster is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at squidoo.com.
This means you can quote parts of this lens, but not for commercial works, as long as you include the creative commons copyright information and attribute the author by a linking back to the Neuschwanstein Castle lens. This license does not extend over some images protected by copyright.
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Squidster has been a member since February 16 2007, has rated 753 lenses, favorited 233, and has created 64 lenses from scratch. This member's top-ranked page is "Plush Dogs | Realistic and Lifelike Stuffed Dogs Save Lives". See all my lenses
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Welcome to Castle Neuschwanstein, the original Fairy Tale Castle in the south of Germany.
Royalty Free Neuschwanstein Images For Purchas...
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