Germany – Chasing Castles

Highlights:

• Linderhof Palace
• Town of Oberammergau
• Neuschwanstein Castle

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Our second full day in Germany we hopped on a Bus tour to visit the Linderhof Palace and the magnificent Neuschwanstein Castle. We drove for about an hour to our first stop Linderhof Palace.

Linderhof and Neuschwanstein were both castles that King Ludwig II of Bavaria set out to build. He loved Castles! Linderhof was the smallest of the three and is the only one he lived to see completed.

Ludwig II became familiar with the area where Linderhof is built when going on hunting trips in the Bavarian Alps with his father as a child.

Linderhof Palace was built between 1863 – 1886 and King Ludwig II became King in 1964. King Ludwig II inspired this Palace around Chateau Verseille, although much smaller the interior (we weren’t allowed to take photos) had similar traits such as a grand staircase, and the Hall of Mirrors

Although it was rainy the wide lens captured the entire grounds.

The side garden was also beautiful. The entire castle is designed in what they call the second rococo-period, also known as late Baroque period. It was a beautiful tour – and one point both guides during the days tours commented that King Ludwig II liked to be alone, was never married, and was rumoured to be homosexual – which unfortunately in that era would have been a big faux pas for royalty.

Next stop was the town of Oberammergau which is a town in the Bavarian Alps that is known for it’s once a decade performance of the Passion Play. The next one will be 2020 and tickets are already on sale.  Here is the tale from their website:

"What made the town famous, was its performance of the Passion of Christ every decade. It is believed that the Passion Play has been held every 10 years since 1634. A play of life and death, promised in a moment of mortal threat, and so began the history of the Oberammergau Passion Play in 1633.  During that time, the Black Plague was sweeping through Europe. The villagers of Oberammergau vowed that if their town was spared, they would perform the Passion of Christ every 10 years. The town was spared, and it is amazing that they have been honoring this pledge from generation to generation." - passionplaytours.com

There was also these cute statues around the town. Also Oberammergau is known for Christmas decorations, ornaments and a great place to shop. We went to some stores and Laura got herself a small wooden mushroom – yup – a wooden mushroom. 🙂

It was a great little stop, but we were excited to be on our way to the amazing Neuschwanstein Castle which inspired Walt Disney to create the Magic Kingdom (and the Sleeping Beauty Castle) and you are about to see why.

Neuschwanstein Castle is another castle commissioned by King Ludwig II, and was paid by his personal fortune and not Bavarian public funds. He did not see it completed and only spent 11 nights in this Castle in total before his death.  But look how beautiful and magical it is:

This Romanesque Revival Castle started construction in 1869 and was opened to the public is 1889 quite shortly after King Ludwig II’s death in 1886. Since it’s opened more than 61 million people have visited with an average of 6000 per day in the summer months!

All these photos are taken from Queen Mary’s Bridge (Marienbrucke), which sprawls between two mountains providing an unimpeded view of this elevated castle sitting at and elevation of 2,620 ft.

We were pretty happy to be here and happier than this castle wasn’t destroyed or damaged during either World War. It was used as a Nazi Plunder, where they would keep art and other valuable artifacts that forces would loot from other European countries.

We then walked down to get up close and personal with the beautiful castle. This castle sits higher in the Alps and overlooks the village, where his Father, King Maximillian II of Bavaria had his Castle. I feel like our King Ludwig II might have been competitive.

This beautiful castle captured my heart. Neuschwanstein translates to “New Swan Stone” which derives from one of Wagner’s opera’s character, the Swan Knight.

You were not allowed to take photos in the interior but it remains one of the most photographed castles in the world, and clearly – I understand why.

Inside there is no throne in the throne room, as Ludwig II died before it’s completion.

One elaborate thing I wish we were allowed to take photos of was the woodworking in the bedroom, including the headboard. It took 14 carpenters four years to complete all of the woodwork.

Above is the view from Neuschwanstein Castle of Ludwig II’s father Maximillian’s castle as well as the Queen Mary’s bridge the bulk of the photos were taken from.  We then walked down to catch the bus back into Munich.

When we got back to Munich we went to a Beerhaus had Radlers and Goulash and went back to our Airbnb for a good night sleep.  Little did we know then we would need it for the next day! Stay tuned.

June 28, 2018

Next up: Germany – Munich: Tours and Views.