Neuschwanstein, Wikimedia Commons
Neuschwanstein
Neuschwanstein is a 19th-century romantic revival castle situated on a hilltop above the village of Hohenschwangau in southwest Bavaria in Germany. The palace was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria as a retreat and as a homage to the great composer Richard Wagner. Contrary to common belief, Ludwig paid for the palace out of his personal fortune and with extensive borrowing, not with Bavarian public funds.
The palace was intended as a personal refuge for the reclusive king, but it was not completed before 1884, which did not leave Ludwig much time to enjoy it before his death in 1886. Neuschwanstein opened to public visits immediately after his death. Since then over 60 million people have visited it. More than 1.3 million people visit annually, with up to 6,000 per day in the summer. The palace has appeared prominently in several movies and was a major inspiration for Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty castle and later, similar structures.
The palace was intended as a personal refuge for the reclusive king, but it was not completed before 1884, which did not leave Ludwig much time to enjoy it before his death in 1886. Neuschwanstein opened to public visits immediately after his death. Since then over 60 million people have visited it. More than 1.3 million people visit annually, with up to 6,000 per day in the summer. The palace has appeared prominently in several movies and was a major inspiration for Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty castle and later, similar structures.