Neuschwanstein Castle

A retreat

Ludwig II built it to escape Munich and to honour Wagner

King Ludwig II felt the need to escape the constraints he saw himself exposed to in Munich, and commissioned Neuschwanstein as a retreat and in honour of the composer Richard Wagner, whom he greatly admired. The three-winged complex was built between 1869 and 1892 in the Neo-Romanesque style.

Tallest

Guinness lists it as the tallest castle in the world

According to Guinness World Records, at 65 metres it is the tallest castle in the world. Since 2025 the castle has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site The Palaces of King Ludwig II of Bavaria. The throne room, the bedroom and the minstrels' hall are particularly noteworthy.

65 mthe height of the castle, the tallest in the world according to Guinness

A name swap

The castle and its neighbour effectively swapped names

When Ludwig II became king in 1864, building a new palace in place of two ruined castles was the first in his series of palace projects. He called it New Hohenschwangau Castle. Later it was renamed Neuschwanstein, and Hohenschwangau and Schwanstein effectively swapped names.

Borrowed

He paid with his own fortune and with borrowing

Ludwig II chose to pay for the palace out of his personal fortune and by means of extensive borrowing, rather than Bavarian public funds. More than 1.3 million people visit annually, with as many as 6,000 a day in the summer, and the castle is open through guided tours.

1886

The king died in 1886, and the castle opened to the public soon after

The castle was intended to serve as a private residence for the king, but he died in 1886, and it was opened to the public shortly after his death. Since then more than 61 million people have visited Neuschwanstein Castle.