Neuschwanstein Castle
Neuschwanstein Castle (German: Schloss Neuschwanstein) is a 19th-century
Bavarian palace on a rugged hill near Hohenschwangau and Füssen in
southwest Bavaria, Germany. The palace was commissioned by Ludwig II of
Bavaria as a retreat and as a homage to Richard Wagner, the King's
inspiring muse. Although public photography of the interior is not
permitted, it is the most photographed building in Germany and is one
of the country's most popular tourist destinations.
Ludwig did not allow visitors to his castles, but after his death in 1886
the castle was opened to the public (in part due to the need to pay off
the debts Ludwig incurred financing its construction).
Since that time over 50 million people have visited the Neuschwanstein
Castle. About 1.3 million people visit annually, with up to 6,000 per
day in the summer. The palace has appeared in several movies, and was
the inspiration for Sleeping Beauty Castle at both Disneyland Park and
Hong Kong Disneyland.
The palace is owned by the state of Bavaria, unlike nearby Hohenschwangau
Castle, which is owned by the head of the house of Wittelsbach, currently
Franz, Duke of Bavaria. The Free State of Bavaria has spent more than
€14.5 million on Neuschwanstein's maintenance, renovation and visitor
services since 1990.
History
The conception of the palace was outlined by Ludwig II in a letter to
Richard Wagner, dated May 13, 1868;
"It is my intention to rebuild the old castle ruin at Hohenschwangau
near the Pollat Gorge in the authentic style of the old German knights'
castles… the location is the most beautiful one could find, holy and
unapproachable, a worthy temple for the divine friend who has brought
salvation and true blessing to the world."
The foundation stone of the building was laid September 5, 1869.
Neuschwanstein was designed by Christian Jank, a theatrical set designer,
rather than an architect, which says much regarding Ludwig's intentions
and explains much of the fantastical nature of the resulting building. The
architectural expertise, vital to a building in such a perilous site, was
provided first by the Munich court architect Eduard Riedel and later by
Georg Dollmann, son-in-law of Leo von Klenze.
The palace was originally called New Hohenschwangau Castle until the
king's death, when it was renamed Neuschwanstein, the castle of the Swan
Knight Lohengrin, of Wagner's opera of the same name. In origin, the
palace has been the Schwanstein, the seat of the knights of Schwangau,
whose emblem had been the swan.
Neuschwanstein was near completion when, in 1886, the King was declared
insane by a State Commission under Dr. von Gudden and arrested at the
palace. The King could hardly control himself as he asked von Gudden, "How
can you declare me insane? You have not yet examined me!" Taken to
Castle Berg, he was found on June 13, 1886, in shallow water in Lake
Starnberg, drowned, along with von Gudden, the psychiatrist who certified
him. The exact circumstances of his and von Gudden's deaths remain
unexplained. It is generally thought that Ludwig's deposition was
brought about by the Wittelsbachs in response to his extravagance with the
dynasty's private funds in projects such as Neuschwanstein.
Architecture
The palace comprises a gatehouse, a Tower, the Knight's House with a
square tower, and a Palas, or citadel, with two towers to the Western end.
The effect of the whole is highly theatrical, both externally and
internally. The king's influence is apparent throughout, and he took a
keen personal interest in the design and decoration. An example can be
seen in his comments, or commands, regarding a mural depicting Lohengrin
in the Palas; "His Majesty wishes that … the ship be placed further from
the shore, that Lohengrin's neck be less tilted, that the chain from the
ship to the swan be of gold and not of roses, and finally that the style
of the castle shall be kept medieval."
The suite of rooms within the Palas contains the Throne Room, Ludwig's
suite, the Singers' Hall, and the Grotto. Throughout, the design pays
homage to the German legends of Lohengrin, the Swan Knight.
Hohenschwangau, where Ludwig spent much of his youth, had decorations of
these sagas. These themes were taken up in the operas of Richard Wagner.
Many rooms bear a border depicting the various operas written by Wagner,
including a theater permanently featuring the set of one such play. Many
of the interior rooms remain undecorated, with only 14 rooms finished
before Ludwig's death. With the palace under construction at the King's
death, one of the major features of the palace remained unbuilt. A massive
keep was planned for the middle of the upper courtyard but was never
built, at the decision of the King's family. The foundation for the keep
is visible in the upper courtyard.
The finished rooms include the throne room, which features a glass
gem-encrusted chandelier; all Twelve Apostles and six canonised kings are
painted on the wall that surrounds the pedestal for the throne - the
actual throne was never finished; and Jesus, behind the pedestal. This
reflects Ludwig's view of himself as king, by the grace of God. The King's
master suite includes a four-post bed hand carved of wood, the canopy of
which is carved as the cathedral towers from every cathedral in Bavaria, a
secret flushing toilet (which flushes with water collected from an
aqueduct) and a running sink in the shape of a swan. The hand carved wood
was very detailed and adorned the entire room, causing the master suite to
take 10 years to complete. The palace also includes an oratory, accessible
from the dressing room and the master suite, which features an ivory
crucifix, a room made to look like a cavern, a full kitchen equipped with
hot and cold running water and heated cupboards, servants' quarters, a
study, a dining room and the Singers' Hall. The Singers' Hall is a venue
for performances by musicians and playwrights. The King built it for
Wagner as a place to write and perform plays. The King died before
watching a performance in the Singers' Hall, but it has been used since
the King's death.
Despite its medieval look, the construction of Neuschwanstein required the
modern technology of the day, and the palace is a marvel of technological
structural achievements. Steam engines, electricity, modern venting, a
modern water system on all floors, and heating pipes are all part of the
structure.
It is now almost forgotten that Ludwig II was a patron of modern
inventions and that he pioneered the introduction of electricity into
public life in Bavaria. His new palaces were the first buildings to use
electricity (e.g. the Venus Grotto at Linderhof) and other modern
conveniences. Through his building activities, Ludwig kept many particular
crafts alive, the knowledge and expertise of which would have died out
otherwise, and he provided work and income to artisans, builders,
plasterers, and decorators.
