Hohenschwangau Castle

Hohenschwangau Castle stands on a hill above Alpsee lake in southern Germany, near the village of the same name and the town of Füssen. Built in the 19th century by King Maximilian II of Bavaria, it replaced an older fortress first recorded in the 12th century. The castle’s name was swapped with its neighbour, Neuschwanstein, in the 19th century. Its pink façade and steep roofs show the work of architects Domenico Quaglio, Joseph Daniel Ohlmüller and Georg Friedrich Ziebland. Over ninety wall paintings inside tell stories from Schwangau’s past and medieval romances like Parzival and Lohengrin. The castle was the summer home of King Maximilian, his wife Queen Marie, and their sons Ludwig and Otto. Ludwig II grew up here before building Neuschwanstein above it. Queen Marie created an alpine garden with plants gathered across the Alps. After Ludwig’s death in 1886, his mother remained until 1889, followed by Prince Regent Luitpold, who installed electricity and an elevator. The palace survived both world wars unharmed and opened as a museum in 1913. Visitors walk through rooms where the royal family lived, including the Queen’s apartments and the princes’ wing. The walls are covered with murals by artists such as Lorenzo Quaglio and Michael Neher. Outside, the castle overlooks Alpsee lake and the Bavarian Alps. The surrounding village offers views of Neuschwanstein Castle on the hill above. The castle remains in the hands of the Wittelsbach family and is still used by their descendants today.