Southern Bavaria has some great attractions, but few can compare to the castles of King Ludwig II. If you are spending time in Munich or Salzburg, it’s worth a day trip or two to check out the castles. If you are in Munich, you can start your adventure by checking out the Moon King’s boyhood home.

Thrown into power at age 18, Ludwig II longed to be as awesome as Louis XIV, but sadly, his country had neither the budget nor the patience to let the boy king plow ahead with fabulous construction projects that threatened to bankrupt the monarchy.

Fascinated by art, history, literature, opera and composer Richard Wagner, he didn’t travel much, but longed to emulate places he had read about. He wrote in his diary: “I want to remain an eternal mystery to myself and others.”

Declared incompetent at age 40, he was found mysteriously drowned just days later, along with the psychiatrist that declared him incompetent. His younger brother Otto, whom he had bequeathed the monarchy to upon his death, was immediately declared mentally ill and Ludwig II’s uncle ascended to the throne.

If you are up for touring castles with features that are stunning, remarkably high-tech, and always awe-inspiring, GetAway Travel is ready to set up your itinerary so you can soak up the ambiance of the ill-fated boy king and his many residences.

A fairytale without an ending

 Ludwig left his mark on a number of castles and properties. He built three castles, but spent quite a bit of time living in manors and alpine retreats. His most famous castle was built last, but not finished before he died. Neuschwanstein, or New Swan Stone Castle, near the border of Austria, was constructed in the Romanesque Revival style. It looks like a castle that just appeared in a fairytale and it so charmed Walt Disney, he used it as a model for Sleeping Beauty’s castle

Ludwig and Otto spent a large part of their childhood at Hohenschwangau Castle and from there Ludwig could see castle ruins on the opposite hill. There, he vowed, he would build his dream castle in the style of the authentic German knights’ castles. The castle was to be his personal retreat and honor composer Richard Wagner.

Ludwig concerned himself with every detail of Newuschwanstein, from the murals to the dishes. Construction proved to be quite a bit of an endeavor. Because he wanted it perched on the hillside, it took a serious quantity of explosives to blow through 27 feet of solid rock to set the castle foundation. His use of steel T-beams and plastered cast-iron pipes was modern for that time.

The castle is decorated in Wagner opera themes. The dining room murals are scenes from the Wartburg Singers Festival. The bedroom has scenes depicting the doomed love affair between Tristan and Isolde on the carvings on the oak walls. The story of Tannhauser is showcased on the walls of the study and Lohengrin, Ludwig’s hero, and Lohengrin’s swans, are everywhere! They are painted on the walls, carved into the ceiling and door arches, cast in porcelain and woven into tapestries.

He had a fake grotto with fake stalactites constructed where he could enjoy performances of Wagner’s operas. Here, as he did in other residences, gardens were constructed so he could look out the windows and enjoy them, and they would block the outside world.

The throne room is the centerpiece of the castle. In the Byzantine style, it’s decor was inspired by St. Sophia Cathedral in Istanbul. More than two million small tiles are used on the floor to illustrate forest animals and the columns, with gilded tops, are painted to appear that they are made of bright lapis lazuli.

It was not finished before he died and sadly, he spent only 11 nights sleeping there.

Herrenchiemsee Palace, Ludwig’s Versaille

 Ludwig juggled multiple projects, much to the consternation of those watching the monarchy’s funds, and he began building Herrenchiemsee Palace in 1878. A great admirer of France’s Sun King, Louis XIV, Ludwig wanted a castle that matched the opulence and panache of Versailles. He also wished to rule like Louis XIV, without constitutional restraints.

The island of Herrenchiemsee was purchased from timber barons who hadn’t managed to harvest trees there as they had planned. Constructing a castle on an island in the middle of Lake Chiemsee had its challenges. The lake was very wide and deep and tugboats were used to haul construction materials to the island. Steam-driven pumps were installed to power the extensive array of water features around the palace.

Ludwig’s “must haves” for the palace included the Hall of Mirrors, modeled after the Versailles hall, and the Latona Fountain.

The wishing table, from the Grimm’s Fairy Tale of the same name, was installed in the dining room. It was a table that would be set with dishes and a meal and rise up through the floor so Ludwig didn’t have to be bothered with interacting with servants. Rumor has it that the table was set for imaginary guests that Ludwig would converse with during the meal.

The monumental marble staircase is under a roof constructed of iron and glass. This was new for that time and, a special system was designed to heat water and interior rooms by Ludwig. A special system could lower the spectacular chandeliers so they could be cleaned and serviced.

Twelve rooms of the palace are set up as a museum detailing the story of Ludwig II in portraits, busts, historical photos, furniture and clothing. The exhibits also explore Ludwig’s patronage of Wagner in portraits, documents and model theaters and set design.

Linderhof, his only completed castle

 The smallest of the three castles, this was the only palace he completed. Built in the 18th century Rococo style, it was originally a humble hunting lodge used by his father. Ludwig moved it on the property to allow for a bigger footprint and then transformed it into a close replica of Marie Antoinette’s chateau that was on the grounds of Versailles.

Technological marvels included a wishing table, that elevated from the kitchen to the dining room and electric lights in the Venus Grotto he had constructed. There was a water heater, wave machine and rumor has it, attendants were ordered to wrangle wild swans into the grotto so Ludwig could float on a mussel-shaped boat in the water and enjoy his favorite fowl.

Bavaria’s first electricity was used here to power the lights in the grotto, the wave machine and the fountain.

Ludwig renovated the King’s House on Schachen into an opulent Turkish style den. He re-designed the Munich residence, the Residenz, the largest city palace in Germany. There are ceiling frescoes, a beautiful fountain and courtyard sculptures and an antique collection. He was born in Nymphenburg Palace in Munich. There are several museums on the grounds including ones that house his carriage collection and his sleigh collection. He would go for night-time sleigh rides and had elaborate sleighs equipped with battery-operated light bulbs. He received guests at, and renovated Rose Island in Lake Starnberg. The new palace there wasn’t completed, but the villa is surrounded by fabulous gardens.

In your travels to Bavaria, do make sure you check out the residences and castles of the ill-fated  mad king — a travel advisor at GetAway Travel can include that in your travel adventure! We can be reached at:  (262) 538-2140, e-mail: sue@getaway.travel or paul@getaway.travel