Hohenschwangau Castle | 12th century knight's castle under the Alps

Across the mountain from Neuschwanstein Castle is the slightly dull-looking Schloß Hohenschwangau, which is also less attractive to tourists compared to Neuschwanstein Castle. Most visitors choose to skip this castle, even though it was where the builder of Neuschwanstein Castle, "Mad King" Ludwig II, spent most of his life. As early as the 12th century, the noble knights of Schwangau built the prototype of the Neuschwanstein Castle, which became the central theme of courtly love poetry at that time. After experiencing abandonment and destruction in wars, it was on the verge of collapse until Ludwig II's father, Maximilian II, bought it in the 19th century and had it renovated. Many famous artists of the Romantic period participated in the restoration work, allowing people today to visit the 14 rooms inside the castle. Ludwig II lived here since childhood, and it was here that he developed his somewhat eccentric personality and his passionate pursuit of art. This is where the fairy tale king of Bavaria handled official business and received guests, and where he met Wagner. Nowadays, there are also 14 rooms open to tourists in Neuschwanstein Castle, which require following a guide for visiting, similar to the way of visiting the New Swan Castle. If you need to visit both Neuschwanstein Castle and Hohenschwangau Castle on the same day, it is recommended to make an appointment for tickets in advance to avoid spending a lot of time waiting for the guided tour on site. However, even if you don't visit the rooms in Hohenschwangau Castle, it doesn't hurt to take a look at the romantic appearance of the castle.