Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
er...then by an architect. It looks medieval, but it's modern iron-and-brick construction with
a sandstone veneer—only about as old as the Eiffel Tower. It feels like something you'd see
atahomeshowfor19th-centuryroyalty.Builtfrom1869to1886,it'stheepitomeoftheRo-
manticism popular in 19th-century Europe. Construction stopped with Ludwig's death (only
athirdoftheinteriorwasfinished),andwithinsixweeks,touristswerepayingtogothrough
it.
During World War II, the castle took on a sinister role. The Nazis used Neuschwanstein
as one of their primary secret storehouses for stolen art. After the war, Allied authorities
spent a year sorting through and redistributing the art, which filled 49 rail cars from this one
location alone. It was the only time the unfinished rooms were put to use.
Today, guides herd groups of 60 through the castle, giving an interesting—if
rushed—30-minute tour. You'll go up and down more than 300 steps, through lavish rooms
based on Wagnerian opera themes, the king's gilded-lily bedroom, and his extravagant
throneroom.You'llvisit15roomswiththeiroriginalfurnishingsandfancifulwallpaintings.
After the tour, before you descend to the king's kitchen, see the 20-minute video about
the king's life and passions accompanied by Wagner's music (next to the café, alternates
between English and German, schedule board at the entry says what's playing and what's
on deck). After the kitchen (state of the art for this high-tech king in its day), you'll see a
room lined with fascinating drawings (described in English) of the castle plans, construc-
tion, and drawings from 1883 of Falkenstein—a whimsical, over-the-top, never-built castle
that makes Neuschwanstein look stubby. Falkenstein occupied Ludwig's fantasies the year
he died.
Near the Castles
Mary's Bridge (Marienbrücke)
Before or after the Neuschwanstein tour, climb up to Mary's Bridge to marvel at Ludwig's
castle, just as Ludwig did. This bridge was quite an engineering accomplishment 100 years
ago.Fromthebridge,thefriskycanhikeevenhighertothe
Beware—Danger ofDeath
signs
and an even more glorious castle view. (Access to the bridge is closed in bad winter weath-
er, but many travelers walk around the barriers to get there—at their own risk, of course.)
The most scenic way to descend from Neuschwanstein is to walk up to Mary's Bridge and
then follow the signs down the Pöllat Gorge to the TI (
Pöllatschlucht,
15 minutes longer
thanwalkingdowntheroadbutworthit,steelwalkwaysandrailingsmakethisslipperyarea
safer).
