Burg Schwaneck

Burg Schwaneck stands on a high bank above the Isar in Pullach, just south of Munich. The 19th-century building was originally a private house, not a medieval fortress, yet its name and towers give it a fairy-tale look. The sculptor Ludwig von Schwanthaler built it to fulfil a childhood dream after his ennoblement by the Bavarian king. Later owners enlarged and altered the house, turning it into a grand residence filled with medieval furniture and art. The house passed through several hands, each leaving its mark. Karl Mayer von Mayerfels added so many pieces that thirty railway wagons were needed to remove them when he left. The British artist Edith Wentworth Dunbar lived there around 1900 before the builder Jakob Heilmann expanded it again. In 1955 the district of Munich bought the building and turned it into a youth centre and hostel. Today the Jugendherberge offers rooms for seminars, school trips and conferences. A 1970s extension and a 2003–2006 refurbishment provide modern comfort while keeping the historic character. From the terrace visitors look across the Isar valley to the Alps. The building also houses the Naturerlebniszentrum, where young guests learn about local nature.