About this Destination
Neuschwanstein Castle represents ultimate fairy tale architecture built by Bavaria Mad King Ludwig II from 1869 atop Alpine crag above Pöllat Gorge. The Romanesque fortress features soaring towers, walled courtyard, artificial cave, and Wagner opera-themed wall paintings depicting Parsifal, Tannhäuser, and Lohengrin legends. Despite romantic medieval design, castle included modern amenities like running water, flush toilets, forced-air heating, elevator, and telephone lines. Walt Disney used it as Sleeping Beauty Castle model at Disneyland. Seven weeks after Ludwig II death in 1886, castle opened to public becoming Europe most popular tourist attraction with 1.3 million annual visitors.