Schwangau is situated on southern Germany's Romantic Road, which runs
from Würzburg to Füssen and on the former roman road "via claudia
augusta". The village itself is located in a valley called "Königswinkel",
the king's nook. Steeply rising mountains, limpid lakes and romantic
castles are the most famous landmarks of Schwangau.
The holiday
opportunities and facilities are unequalled. To mention but a few of the
highlights:
Lake Forggensee
with an area of 16 square kilometers is a paradise for water sport
enthusiasts,
unspoilt by buildings and freely accessible almost all the way round.
The castles
Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau of the fairy-tale King Ludwig
II
Take the Tegelberg
mountain cable car up to an altitude of 1720 m (1,05 miles) in a
matter of minutes. Enjoy the unique view from the panorama terrace. It's
here that the intrepid hanggliders and paragliders. Kids will love the summer luge
(tobbogan)
There are 120
km (80 miles) of hiking trails in Schwangau, its alpine character
preserved by the protected mountain world.
The wild
romantic Pöllat gorge is impressive and certainly worth a visit
Extensive
network of bicycle paths
heated outdoor
swimming, salt-water thermal bath, solarium, sauna landscape and
oriental hamam in the "Königliche
Kristall-Therme" (royal crystal-therm)
Neuschwanstein Castle
This
is King Ludwig's most famous castle. With its turrets and
mock-medievalism, its interior styles ranging from Byzantine through
Romanesque to Gothic its a real fairy-tale fantasy come true. It was built
between 1869 and 1886. Only about a third of the building was actually
completed.
The 15 rooms you see on the tour show astonishing craftsmanship and
richness of detail.Woodcarving in Ludwig's bedroom took 14 carpenters 4
1/2 years to complete. Wagner's operas feature everywhere in the form of
murals. The best view of the castle and a 45m waterfall is from the nearby
Mary's Bridge (Marienbruecke), which spans a deep gorge. On the path
between this bridge and the castle is a wonderful view of Hohenschwangau
and the Alpsee.
King Ludwig II of Bavaria ordered to build this castle to express his idea
of being a king. The planning was first made by the royal master-builder
Eduard Riedel and as result a building was designed that was determined as
a monumental Romanesque castle. The scene-painter Christian Jank made
major contributions to the plans. The work started in 1869 with the tower
house.
The castle reveals its splendour to the visitors in the king's bedroom.
The magnificence could be seen from the architecture to the frescos,
paintings, carved works, mosaics and ornaments, furniture and decorations.
Innumerable artists worked there: painters, sculptors, carvers, joiners,
glass painters, art smiths, locksmiths, decorators, seamstresses and
embroiderers. They created works from their own imagination with highest
craft skill by using historical design.
Hohenschwangau Castle
In
1523 the castle was already described as not useful for defence purposes
but with thin walls. The repair by the Italian architect Licio de Spari
1538 - 41 for the building owner, the Augsburg patrician Paumgarten, was
nearly a rebuilding.
The building was the main residence of the government of Schwangau. After
repeated change of ownership, the Crown Prince Maximilian of Bavaria was
addicted to the charm of the place and bought the meanwhile to ruin
decayed castle. The restoration started in 1833. The remarkable, on one
side rounded ground-plan was retained and through the tower on the
south-west corner resulted a regular building front. King Maximilian II
has used the castle as summer residence.
As expected will be found the abundance of decorations in the interior,
the innumerable paintings and the stories they narrate from the honourable
persons of the German legend and history till to the heroic deeds of the
then living generations of the family Wittelsbach.
How to get to Schwangau...
by car (coming from north): Motoway
A 7 Ulm-Kempten-Füssen;
by plane: München-Erding
(ca. 160 km). Augsburg (ca. 120 km).
by train: From the
trainstation Füssen (5 km away) you can easily get to Schwangau by bus
(the busstop is right next to the trainstation) or by taxi. (Taxi-Phone:
+49 (0) 8362 6222)
unspoilt by buildings and freely accessible almost all the way round.
This
is King Ludwig's most famous castle. With its turrets and
mock-medievalism, its interior styles ranging from Byzantine through
Romanesque to Gothic its a real fairy-tale fantasy come true. It was built
between 1869 and 1886. Only about a third of the building was actually
completed. 
In
1523 the castle was already described as not useful for defence purposes
but with thin walls. The repair by the Italian architect Licio de Spari
1538 - 41 for the building owner, the Augsburg patrician Paumgarten, was
nearly a rebuilding. 
