An Introductory Tour of Germany’s Castles & Palaces Welcome to our tour of Germany’s castles and palaces. You are about to embark on an exciting journey exploring some of Germany’s most famous and picturesque sites. Get your boarding pass ready for your flight on Lufthansa. We will arrive in Munich, Germany shortly.

I hope you enjoyed the flight. Our tour begins in southern Germany in the state of Bavaria (Bayern). The first castle we are going to visit is approximately 1.5 hours south of the city of Munich (München). Since there is no direct train to Neuschwanstein Castle, we will take the train to the town of Füssen then take a bus to Hohenschwangau where the castle is located. Munich, Germany

Look at the beautiful view of Neuschwanstein Castle in the distance. This castle, nestled in the Alps, is one of the most spectacular castles in Germany if not the world. It was built by Ludwig II of Bavaria, nicknamed “Mad King Ludwig”. The building of the castle started in 1869 and remained unfinished at the time of Ludwig's death in The castle was built as homage to Ludwig's favorite composer, Richard Wagner.

Neuschwanstein means "New Swan Stone". King Ludwig II got the name of his castle from composer Richard Wagner’s opera character, the “Swan Knight”. The structure was built by King Ludwig II to look like a castle from medieval times. He built his castle with the help of a stage designer. The castle was designed simply for pleasure as a summer retreat. However, Ludwig II never got to spend a single day inside Neuschwanstein. He died before construction of the castle was complete. Only seven weeks after King Ludwig II died, the castle was opened to the public. Throne Room

Here is the King’s bedroom. The bed was designed in the neo-gothic style. The seats are covered in blue silk with embroidered and appliquéd lions, swans, crowns, lilies and the Bavarian coat of arms. The King’s Bedroom Notice the white swan in the left hand side of the photo. Now, look at the chandelier – how was the room lit?

Neuschwanstein Castle is the most photographed building in Germany, and it is visited by more than one million people each year. Does it look familiar? If so, it is probably because it has appeared in several movies. The Alps

We are visiting Neuschwanstein in the summer, but here is a picture of what it looks like in the snow. It really does resemble a fairy tale castle. Did you know that the Sleeping Beauty Castle’s design in Disneyworld was inspired by Neuschwanstein Castle? Can you see the resemblance between the two? Disneyworld’s Sleeping Beauty Cast le

MEMORY GAME Before we leave Neuschwanstein Castle, here are a puzzle and a memory game for you to play. Viel Spaß! PUZZLE

ASSIGNMENT On a separate sheet of paper, answer the following questions about Neuschwanstein Castle. When you have finished, check your answers by clicking the “back” arrow below. 1)In what part of Germany is Neuschwanstein located? 2)Which King had Neuschwanstein Castle built? 3)Who was this King’s favorite composer? 4)Which famous amusement park designed their fairy-tale castle after Neuschwanstein? 5)What nickname was given to King Ludwig II?

I hope you enjoyed visiting Neuschwanstein Castle. The next castle on our tour is Schloss Hohenschwangau which is located slightly south of Neuschwanstein on a small hill between the Alpsee (Alp Lake) and the Schwansee (Swan Lake). The Schwansee is shown in the picture to the left with the mountains of Austria behind it. Hohenschwangau & Schwannsee

As a boy, Hohenschwangau was the official summer and hunting residence of Ludwig’s family, which consisted of his father, Maximilian, his mother, Maria of Prussia, his brother, Otto (the later King Otto I of Bavaria), and himself. Young Ludwig and his brother spent many years of their adolescence here. The King and the Queen lived in the main building, the boys in the annex.

Hohenschwangau Castle had long been the residence of the rulers of the area, but had become a ruin by the time that it was acquired by King Ludwig's father, Maximilian II, in the 19th century. Maxmillian rebuilt and redecorated the castle in the style of a romantic palace from the Gothic period. One of the decorators was a famous set designer, Domenik Quaglio, who painted the walls with legends from Germanic history. Queen’s bedroom

It was as a young child in Hohenshwangau that Ludwig first experienced the legend of the Swan-King Lohengrin - a figure who was the subject of Richard Wagner's opera. This eventually led to the naming of Castle Neuschwanstein. Swan Fountain in Side Garden

When King Maximilian died in 1864, his son Ludwig succeeded to the throne and moved into his father's room in the castle. Since Ludwig never married, his mother Marie was able to continue living on her floor. King Ludwig enjoyed living in Hohenschwangau, especially after 1869 when the building of his own castle, Neuschwanstein, began, only a stone's throw from his childhood home.

ASSIGNMENT On a separate sheet of paper, create a Venn Diagram comparing and contrasting Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau Castles.

We will now take a train to our next stop north of Munich to the city of Wuerzburg where we will tour the beautiful Würzburger Residenz (Wuerzburg Residence). At one time, this palace served as a home for Wuerzburg’s powerful prince-bishops of the Schönborn family. Today, the Wuerzburg Residence attracts visitors as a famous UNESCO World Heritage Site. Let’s take a tour of “Der Residenz”. (Click link below.)

The Wuerzburg Residence is one of the most important baroque palaces in Europe. It was originally designed for Prince- Bishop Johann Philipp Franz von Schönborn. The Residence took sixty years to complete. The shell of the palace was built from 1720 to 1744 and the interior was finished in This world-famous staircase was decorated from by the Venetian painter, Giovanni Battista Tiepolo. The ceiling fresco represents the four continents. This staircase is said to be the most beautiful in the word.

Don't forget to visit the Court Chapel, which can be entered separately from the Residence Square. Because of its amazing interior decoration, it is considered one of the finest examples of religious art in Wuerzburg. Tiepolo’s Ceiling Fresco

The Residence Gardens

1)What the original purpose of the Residence? 2)In what architectural style was the Residence built? 3)How many years did it take to complete this palace? 4)What can one find in the gardens of the Residence besides flowers and foliage? 5) What is the name of the artist famous for painting the ceiling in the Residence entrance? ASSIGNMENT On a separate sheet of paper, answer the questions that follow about the Wuerzburg Residence. When you have finished, check your answers by clicking the “back” arrow below.

Our last train ride will take us north to the city of Potsdam which lies just south of Germany’s capital, Berlin. Here we will visit Sansscouci, which was designed as Frederick the Great’s, summer palace. Frederick was the King of Prussia during the mid-18 th century. Sansscouci has often been compared to the Palace of Versailles in Paris. Let’s begin our tour of Sanssouci Palace. (Click on the link below.)

The palace of SANSSOUCI was built in the city of Potsdam to fulfill Frederick’s need of a relaxing retreat. The name itself means “careless” or “without cares”. In fact, the palace resembles a one- story villa, and therefore, wasn’t meant to represent a seat of power.

Sanssouci is famous for its extensive gardens which are filled with beautifully designed temples in the original Frederician Rococo style. This style of design was named after Frederick, who’s personal taste influenced the architecture and decorations. The Chinese House in the Sanssouci gardens was designed as an ornate pavilion for hosting social events. The building represents the Chinoiserie style of architecture which was very popular in Europe during the mid-18th century.

Here we are at the Orangery, which was the last building constructed at Sanssouci in the mid-19th century. The building includes a greenhouse and residential area. In addition, you can see Raphael Hall, the largest room in the palace. This room is still used to display paintings based on the works of Italian painter, Raphael. Interior of the Orangery

ASSIGNMENT 1) As part of the tour, you have been invited to stay in one of the four places you just visited for the summer. Write an essay about where you would choose to stay and why. 2) Design a crown to wear at the castle or palace where you will be staying.

I hope you enjoyed your tour of some of Germany’s most famous and beautiful castles and palaces! Enjoy your flight home on Lufthansa! AUF WIEDERSEHEN!

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