"Schloss Neuschwanstein " a Schloss Neuschwanstein Travel Page by aeroanthony

Ah, Neuschwanstein…a Schloss after mein own heart. This beautiful and expansive work of fantasy spans a sizeable chunk of Pollat Gorge, literally piercing through the forest canopy. There is little here that is poorly worked or underdone. It is monument rivaling greatness that even a Texan can appreciate.

Many reviews of Neuschwanstein (pronounced noy-SHVAHN-shtine and translating literally to “New Swan’s Stone”) state that the area is a “huge tourist trap”, “not worth visiting”, or “nothing of historical value here”. When in fact, the opposite is true. Oh sure, the construction of the castle didn’t even start until around the time of the American Civil War, so it’s hardly an antique as far as palaces go. Yet history, legend, and fantasy swells as greatly here as in Wagner’s compositions; those very same compositions from which Ludwig II derived his visions for Schloss Neuschwanstein.

You see, Ludwig was a wild and crazy guy. He liked opulence and the castle shows it. From the expansive and luxurious ballroom to the rich and comfortable bedroom to the man-made cavern, the castle reeks of luxury…a luxury that Bavaria could ill afford…a luxury that sent Bavaria into bankruptcy and into a downward spiral that may very well be the sole reason Bavaria is not, to this day, an independent country of its own. Beautiful as the palace is, complimenting the surrounding countryside, it ill-served the people ruled by its master.

The countryside surrounding Neuschwanstein is a wonder in itself. From the mountainous terrain to the Pollat Gorge to Mariensbrucke (Marian’s Bridge), which spans the gorge, to the town of Schwangau below, the entire area shouts Bavarian fantasy and is well worth seeing. There is darkness and intrigue in its forests. There is majesty and grace in its heights. And the falls below…My God they are beautiful. I sat at the bottom of Pollat Gorge for almost an hour staring at the beauty as a fog rolled in and added to the mystique.

Is it a Tourist Trap? Well, yes, of course. The area began drawing crowds mere months after Ludwig’s mysterious death, and where there are crowds there are people selling wares and services. It’s the nature of human existence and, therefore, is also to be observed and respected. Take some time to enjoy the shops and restaurants below. Stroll the streets as you would the forests above and meet the people who provide you their services and remember…Neuschwanstein was not built with tourists in mind, no matter what other critics may say.

Neuschwanstein was a dream…a beautiful and magnificent dream that would never fully exist, as its creator could not afford its completion. And yet it is there, splayed out before us like an open book to tell the tale of countless masons and carpenters with hearts and souls…of an architect with a vision…of a king with a mad dream…of a people with too much honor to let them complete it. If only Ludwig had been more practical in his affairs, we may have heard a different story. Beautiful and serene in its incompletion, the palace stands as a reminder that sometimes even our dreams bare too much expense…that though fantasy may outshine reality, it can never outweigh it.

So, my advice is to see it once...then come back and bring a friend. Even if you abhor tourist trappy areas, you'll be glad you stopped by...even if it is just this once.

It was incredible. This larger than life palace erupting from the forestry. I was in awe and still am.

...it was gorgeous...

Yes, it is touristy...but, good God, it is an architect's dream!