Schloss Hohenschwangau

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Level 20 Local Expert

Hohenschwangau Castle, whose name poetically translates as "High Swan Land", is located in southern Bavaria, near the city of Fussen and the border with Austria. It is in the shadow of its famous neighbor, the fabulous Neuschwanstein, but it was Hohenschwangau that was the family residence and the place where King Ludwig II spent his childhood. Unlike the pompous and theatrical Neuschwanstein, this castle is distinguished by its comfort and habitable atmosphere, and the presence of its owners is still felt here. The history of this place goes back to the 12th century, when the knights of von Schwangau built the Schwanstein fortress here. In the 16th century, the line of knights was suppressed, and the fortress began to collapse, and the Napoleonic wars of the early 19th century completed this process, turning it into picturesque ruins. The Crown Prince and later King Maximilian II of Bavaria breathed new life into these ruins. Fascinated by the beauty of these places during one of his trips, he acquired the ruins in 1832 and rebuilt the castle. Construction in the Neo-Gothic style under the direction of architect Domenico Quaglio lasted until 1837. So Hohenschwangau became the summer and hunting residence of the Bavarian royal family. The exterior of the castle corresponds to the spirit of romanticism: towers with spires, balconies, fountains with figures of lions and swans. The facade of the castle is painted in a characteristic yellow color. However, the main treasure of Hohenschwangau is hidden inside. The interiors of the castle are decorated in the Biedermeier style, which was the epitome of comfort and home warmth. The walls of almost all the halls are decorated with frescoes based on Germanic myths, legends and history. Visitors to the castle can see several notable rooms: · The Swan Knight Hall: a former dining room, the walls of which are painted with scenes from the Lohengrin saga. · Hall of Heroes: the largest room in the castle with paintings illustrating the epic of Dietrich of Bern. · The Hohenstaufen Room: A maple piano, the so-called "Wagner piano", attracts attention here. Ludwig II, being a good pianist, often played music here, and when the composer Richard Wagner visited him, he asked him to play some of his works. · Queen Mary's Chambers: The Queen's bedroom is decorated in Turkish style, a tribute to Maximilian's journey to the East. There are even preserved canapes presented to the Crown Prince by the Turkish Sultan. · The home Chapel: notable for two valuable Russian icons presented to Ludwig II by Tsar Alexander I.

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Александр Александр

Level 11 Local Expert

A gorgeous castle. I strongly advise you to take a look. This is a real castle, where they lived (not some kind of remodeler). Its walls are steeped in history. When you visit it, you see how you lived. I've been there more than once and always watched with admiration. The organization of the visit is excellent, tourists are divided into groups, there is no "stream" of free-walking onlookers in the castle, but you can conveniently watch everything in a small group. Small groups are formed by time and you know exactly how to plan the time, because there is a lake nearby and there is a lot to see. The organization is gorgeous. Thank you.

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Polina

Level 16 Local Expert

Incredibly beautiful old castle! We'll like it even more than Neuschwanstein. It's small and very cozy. Being next to him literally makes you feel his antiquity, his centuries-old history

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Ирина

Level 6 Local Expert

I really enjoyed the walk from one castle to another. I also liked that the castles are filled with furniture and you can imagine how they lived in them, how they admired the most beautiful views from them. Guided tours using audio guides are well organized. But according to the reviews of friends who visited here earlier, the information on audio guides has been significantly reduced. The Internet helps... answers all the questions that arise.

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Татьяна Одинцова

Level 11 Local Expert

The castle is beautiful, although a little simpler than its famous neighbor. Very German)) The tour is short, without much fanaticism... In fact, without a guide, it only includes a shared audio guide in each room. The castle is privately owned. Filming inside is prohibited. Fantastic views from the window of the snowy Alps.

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Валерий Колесов

Level 20 Local Expert

It was, however, quite a long time ago. The castle is beautiful and, most importantly, very beautifully painted in a hilly landscape. I advise everyone.

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Максим

Level 28 Local Expert

It's worth a visit. But it is better to buy tickets in advance. We were on holidays, so there were a lot of people. The most convenient way, of course, is to arrive in your own car.

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Лана

Level 15 Local Expert

One of my favorite castles. It is located next to Neuschwanstein and should be in its shadow, but the architectural ensemble is so good and unusual that there are simply "no words".

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Anna Loskutova

Level 24 Local Expert

Beautiful views ❤❤

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