2. Location  Located on a mountain top in Germany.  Near Hohenschwangau and Fussen in southwest Bavaria.  Open to public since 1886, 1.3 million people visit anually.

3. Features  Amazing pictures on walls and ceilings, many statues and furniture.  Beautiful scenery.  Throne room, servant room, salon, dressing room, lower hall, and conservatory  Central heating for all rooms.

4. Features  The Neuschwanstein Castle’s coat of arms has two lions holding a sheild with a kings crown over it.  Many Germanic paintings on outside of the castle.  Big lake with mountains and trees.  Waterfall with bridge leading to castle.

5. Reasons For Building  King Ludwig built Neuschwanstein for religious and political ideas.  Wanted a place of retreat and homage to Richard Wagner.  Needed a place of protection during the war.  Wanted the most beautiful castle around.

6. Building of  Foundation was laid September 5, 1869.  Neuschwanstein was designed by Christian Jank, a theatrical designer instead of a architect which results in great design of castle.  Was close to completion when, in 1886 the king was declared insane and arrested inside of the castle.

7. Rooms of Castle  Singers hall was a place for entertainment and dancing.  The Throne Room has paintings of Jesus and other religious Saints.  Ludwig’s suite included a four post bed hand carved out of wood, canopy carved as cathedral towers from every tower in Bavaria, and a secret flushing toilet.

8. Landscape  King Ludwig was a nature lover and did not want to spoil the beauty of the surrounding landscape by building his castle.  The view from the Neuschwanstein Castle is like a nature painting. You can see the Marienbrucke Bridge, the meadows of Schwangau, or the mountain ranges of the Bacarian, Lechtal and Allgau Alps.  You can view lake East Allgau, the other two most famous castles in Germany, or go hiking on the trails that run thruough the forests.