巴伐利亚国王路德维希二世是艺术的爱好者，他一生受着瓦格纳歌剧的影响，他构想了传说中曾是白雪公主居住的地方。他邀请剧院画家和舞台布置者，而不是建筑师，绘制建筑草图，并以瓦格纳创作的音乐剧《天鹅骑士》为灵感，开始修建新天鹅堡。城堡中洋溢着中世纪的气息，从不同的角度观看，城堡展现出变化无穷的面容。……

Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany

This is King Ludwig's magnificent and most famous castle, built in the neo-late romanesque style. With its turrets¹ and mock-medievalism, its interior styles ranging from Byzantine through Romanesque to Gothic its a real fairy-tale fantasy come true.

It was built between 1869 and 1886 for the Bavarian King Ludwig II. A splendid and imaginative "fairy-tale castle" high above the Alpsee lake with the Alps towering above it.

Only about a third of the building was actually completed. The 15 rooms you see on the tour show astonishing craftsmanship² and richness of detail. Woodcarving in Ludwig's bedroom took 14 carpenters 4 1/2 years to complete. Wagner's operas feature everywhere in the form of murals.

The best view of the castle and a 45m waterfall is from the nearby Mary's Bridge (Marienbruecke), which spans a deep gorge³. On the path between this bridge and the castle is a wonderful view of Hohenschwangau and the Alpsee.

Guided tours take about 35 minutes. You have to walk 170 steps up and down, a lift is not available. The castle (like Hohenschwangau) is open daily April to October, 8.30-5.30, November to March 10-4.

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