1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites
Live TV
Latest audioLatest videos
In focus
Russia's war in UkraineIsrael-Hamas warIndia elections
Culture

Bavaria - In the Footsteps of King Ludwig II

May 25, 2013

Ludwig II of Bavaria had castles and palaces built that reflected all his dreams and desires. That's how he became known as the fairy-tale king - a fascinating figure to this day.

https://p.dw.com/p/18diJ

Ludwig II had Herrenchiemsee Palace modeled on Versailles. At a length of 77 meters, his hall of mirrors is even four meters longer than the original outside Paris. Further west, in the Allgäu region, stands Bavaria's most famous castle: Neuschwanstein. It's modeled on a medieval fortified castle, and its idyllic location makes it unique. Ludwig II, who died in 1886, never lived to see it completed. Nowadays about 1.3 million visitors a year come to admire it. Linderhof Palace lies slightly further to the east. The fairy-tale king actually lived here, and listened to the music of Richard Wagner in his very own artificial cave: the Venus Grotto.