Attractions

Visiting the Royal Castles

Be prepared for very long lines (sometimes an incredible 4- to 5-hr. wait) at the castles during summer, especially in August. On some days, 25,000 people visit. To alleviate the inconvenience of long lines and stress, RAD Data Communications has installed a network for organizing visits. Under the system, tickets displaying specific admission times are sold at kiosks at the base of the castle before you make your ascent. Visitors can then purchase a ticket and wait for their reserved tour instead of standing in long lines with no definite time set. Entry to the castles is controlled by a computerized turnstile that reads the tickets. Ticketing information for each castle is conveyed to the central ticket office via a microwave link, which links the two castles to an office in the valley below. Note: It is imperative to arrive by the time indicated on your ticket; otherwise, you will have to go back to the kiosk at the base and pick up a new ticket and start all over again.

Hohenschwangau

Not as glamorous or spectacular as Neuschwanstein, the neo-Gothic Hohenschwangau Castle nevertheless has a much richer history. The original structure dates from the days of the 12th-century knights of Schwangau. When the knights faded away, the castle began to fade, too, helped along by the Napoleonic Wars. When Ludwig II's father, Crown Prince Maximilian (later Maximilian II), saw the castle in 1832, he purchased it and in 4 years had it completely restored. Ludwig II spent the first 17 years of his life here and later received Richard Wagner in its chambers.

The rooms of Hohenschwangau are styled and furnished in a much heavier Gothic mode than those in Neuschwanstein. Many are typical of the halls of knights' castles of the Middle Ages in both England and Germany. There's no doubt that the style greatly influenced young Ludwig and encouraged the fanciful boyhood dreams that formed his later tastes and character. Hohenschwangau, unlike Neuschwanstein, has a comfortable look about it, more like an actual home than a museum.

Among the most attractive chambers is the Hall of the Swan Knight, named for the wall paintings depicting the saga of Lohengrin. Note the Gothic grillwork on the ceiling with the open spaces studded with stars.

Hohenschwangau, Alpseestrasse (tel. 08362/930830), is open April to September daily 8am to 5:30pm, and October to March daily 9am to 3:30pm. Admission is 9€ for adults and 8€ for students and children 12 to 15; children 11 and under enter free. There are several parking lots that serve both castles.

Neuschwanstein

Neuschwanstein was King Ludwig II's fairy-tale castle. Construction lasted 17 years until the king's death, when all work stopped, leaving a part of the interior uncompleted. From 1884 to 1886, Ludwig lived in these rooms on and off for a total of only about 6 months.

The doorway off to the left side of the vestibule leads to the king's apartments. The study, like most of the rooms, is decorated with wall paintings showing scenes from Nordic legends. The theme of the study is the Tannhäuser saga. The only fabric in the room is hand-embroidered silk, used in curtains and chair coverings, all designed with the gold-and-silver Bavarian coat of arms.

From the vestibule, you enter the throne room through the doorway at the opposite end. This hall, designed in Byzantine style by J. Hofmann, was never completed. The floor is a mosaic design, depicting the animals of the world. The columns in the main hall are made of deep-copper-red porphyry. The circular apse where the king's throne was to have stood is reached by a stairway of white Carrara marble. The walls and ceiling are decorated with paintings of Christ in heaven looking down on the Twelve Apostles and six canonized kings of Europe.

The king's bedroom is the most richly carved in the entire castle -- it took 4 1/2 years to complete this room alone. The walls are decorated with panels carved to look like Gothic windows, as well as with a mural depicting the legend of Tristan and Isolde. In the center is a large wooden pillar, completely encircled with gilded brass sconces. The ornate bed is on a raised platform with an elaborately carved canopy. Through the balcony window you can see the 50m (160-ft.) waterfall in the Pöllat Gorge, with the mountains in the distance.

The fourth floor of the castle is almost entirely given over to the Singer's Hall, the pride of Ludwig II and all of Bavaria. Modeled after the hall at Wartburg, the Singer's Hall is decorated with marble columns and elaborately painted designs interspersed with frescoes depicting the life of Parsifal.

The castle is open year-round. In September, visitors have the additional pleasure of hearing Wagnerian concerts along with other music in the Singer's Hall. For information and reservations, contact the tourist office, Verkehrsamt, at the Rathaus in Schwangau (tel. 08362/938523). Tickets go on sale in early June and sell out rather quickly. The castle can be visited only on one of the guided tours (offered in English), which are given daily year-round, except November 1; December 24, 25, and 31; January 1; and Shrove Tuesday. April to September, tours are given 8am to 5pm, and October to March, times are 9am to 3pm. Tours leave every 45 minutes and last 35 minutes. Admission is 9€ for adults, 8€ for students and seniors over 65, and free for children 14 and under. A combination ticket for both castles is 17€ for adults and 15€ for children 14 and under. For more information, visit www.neuschwanstein.com.

Reaching Neuschwanstein involves a steep half-mile climb from the parking lot at Hohenschwangau Castle . This can be a 30-minute walk for the athletic, an eternity for those less so (and, regrettably, there are almost no benches along the route, and they're always occupied). To cut down on the climb, you can take a bus to Marienbrücke, a bridge that crosses over the Pöllat Gorge at a height of 90m (300 ft.). From that vantage point, you, like Ludwig, can stand and meditate on the glories of the castle and its panoramic surroundings. If you want to photograph the castle, don't wait until you reach the top, where you'll be too close for a good shot. It costs 1.80€ for the bus ride up to the bridge or 1€ to return. From Marienbrücke, it's a 10-minute walk to Neuschwanstein castle. This footpath is very steep.

The traditional way to reach Neuschwanstein is by horse-drawn carriage; this costs 6€ for the ascent and 3€ for the descent. Note: Some readers have complained about the rides being overcrowded and not at all accessible for visitors with limited mobility. Also note there is no guarantee of arrival time. If you miss your timed entry, you're out of luck. Our recommendation is to avoid the ride unless you have plenty of time to wait in line, and make the ascent before your timed entry into the castle.