The Fairy Tale King

Once upon a time in Germany, there lived an eccentric king who loved fairy tales so much that he built a number of castles which could have come straight out of those tales. Known as the Fairy Tale King, his real name was Ludwig II and his most famous castle is known as Neuschwanstein.

King Ludwig II of Bavaria had many names. He was called the Swan King and the der Märchenkönig, or Fairy King. He was also called “Mad King Ludwig.” No matter what he was called, it’s hard to deny that his legacy hinged on the art and architecture he had inspired during his reign.

Born August 25, 1845, he spent his childhood living in a fantasy castle his father had constructed near the Swan Lake. When he was 18, he inherited the throne. He was notorious for his love of the composer Richard Wagner.

He was well known for the castles he had built. Ludwig preferred to spend his life pursuing creative projects, living almost in a fantasy world. He spent a lot of time with his subjects who addressed him as “our darling king” but not much time with his nobles. In 1868, he commissioned a drawing for his first castle, Schloss Neuschwanstein, or “New Swanstone Castle.” The castle was Romanesque with high-soaring towers based on fairy tale castles. He commissioned the construction of Herrenchiemsee, a replica of the Versailles, France palace, and then the Residenz Palace in Munich. He also dedicated a theater to Wagner and built several more palaces.

When the country fell into debt in 1885, his cabinet offered their best advice, but he felt harassed, and considered ousting them. However, his advisers were one step ahead and they moved to depose him by claiming that King Ludwig II was mentally ill. He was arrested on June 12 and on June 13, he and a friend were discovered dead, drowned in a shallow lake near where they had been moved to. It will never be known if Ludwig was truly mentally ill or simply eccentric.

The Fantasy Castle

As for the Neuschwanstein Castle, construction began in September of 1869, and Ludwig was there to see the cornerstone laid. It was intended to be his retreat and he lived there for a large portion of his life. It was designed by Christian Jank, a theater set designer, who built it specifically to emulate the fairy tale style Ludwig wanted. It was originally called the New Hohenschwangau Castle until Ludwig’s death, when it was renamed. The castle was so “out of this world” that Walt Disney used it as the inspiration for his Sleeping Beauty Castle at the Disneyland Park in Anaheim, as well as the one at Hong Kong Disneyland.

Inside the Palace

Visitors get a chance to see many rooms. The first hall they will see is the Entrance Hall which is divided into two aisles. The throne room is also open to the public. A dining room with a meter-high table sculpture, a huge bedroom, and a chapel are also available to visitors. In the winter, tourists can see a special winter garden and grotto that was built. There is also a completely intact kitchen and singer’s hall.