THE FAIRYTALE CASTLES

I hadn't realized just how excited Don was to finally see Neuschwanstein in person. When we returned from our drive, we went in to Fuessen for dinner and I thought we would have a nice quiet evening to relax and write in the journal and read. But Don decided we should do a test run of the walk to the ticket office for tomorrow's big castle day. The guidebook said the walk was just 15 minutes, but we had already determined that Rick Steves must walk VERY briskly to get the times he states. So we headed off down the lane in the early evening. We didn't want to have to push too hard, so took it easy and it took about 25 minutes. We took a couple of pictures of the castles lit at night, but they didn't turn out all that well.




From the head of the lane, Neuschwanstein on the left, Hohenschwangau on the right.












Neuschwanstein from the lane


















Zoomed in













Hohenschwangau from the lane













Zoomed in













Neuschwanstein at night













Hohenschwangau at night











We had heard a real cuckoo the morning of the drive and as we walked along the lane on the castle morning we heard one again. I don't know why that was so wondrous to me, but it was - a glorious little bird call made famous by clocks and now sounding across the field in real life.




We also passed these cows and I loved the clanging choir of bells. Eleven cows, each with its own bell ringing out in a real cacophony that was loud and crazy and terrific.












Many, if not all, of the towns have a maypole in the town center. The little signs show businesses in the town.
















Hohenschwangau sitting above the town. It was the boyhood home of King Ludwig.










It was a little hike - on paved road - up to Hohenschwangau. This is the entrance to the courtyard. If you want to see both castles - and trust me, you do - you have to see Hohenschwangau first.

Hohenschwangau means High Land of the Swans.

Hohenschwangau, like the other of Ludwig's castles, is all dedicated to Richard Wagner. The rooms are decorated with murals depicting scenes from his operas. There is even a room set aside for Wagner, in case he was to visit, but he never did.










The first of many fountains.














One of the craziest things about this castle was one of the renovations that King Ludwig made when the castle became his. In his bed chamber he had the ceiling painted a dark nighttime blue with stars. Holes were drilled in the stars. Servants would light candles and set them on the floor above, over the holes, so that Ludwig could lay in bed and feel like he was lying under the stars.







There was also a 'moon' in the ceiling with a circular plate that slides across it, depicting the moon phases. Candles were set over this, too, of course.





























Click on this link to see a couple of interior shots.

From Hohenschwangau there is a fairly stiff hike to Neuschwanstein. The little map they give you says it takes 40 minutes to walk it. There's only 45 minutes before your allotted tour time. We thought we would use the shuttle up and walk down, but the next shuttle wasn't going to leave for 20 minutes and make us late, so we walked and managed it in 25 minutes.




Looking at Neuschwanstein from Hohenschwangau. There is a room in Hohenschwangau with a telescope trained on Neuschwanstein where King Ludwig watched the progress on his new castle.











































The 'rest stop' by the castle where you can grab a bite to eat and sit down for a bit. Sitting is a good idea after the hike as you will climb up and down 300 stairs during the following 30 minute tour.
















The courtyard entrance.














Entering the courtyard.












This courtyard is rather desolate, especially when compared to Linderhof and Hohenschwangau. King Ludwig was actually the designer of the castle interior. The castle interior was only 1/3 finished when he died suddenly. The remaining rooms that he had planned were finished later. The 3rd floor is completely empty. As much as he loved fountains I think he must not have gotten around to designing the grounds and that is why they are empty.











The interior of Neuschwanstein was a surprise after all of the gold leaf in Linderhof and Hohenschwangau. There was a lot of beautiful carved dark wood here. This castle is like the others with its rooms designed after Wagner opera scenes.














































The view from Neuschwanstein.

Click on this link for interior pictures - be sure to click on them to enlarge them!