Füssen and Neuschwanstein

On Saturday, Laura and I went on an excursion arranged by our language school to the town of Füssen. The small town of Füssen lies southwest of München at the edge of the Alps. The town has become a major tourist destination because of Schloss Neuschwanstein (literal translation: Castle New Swan Stone). Neuschwanstein is one of three elaborate castles built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria in the 19th Century. Construction began in 1869 and was not completed until after Ludwig's mysterious death in 1886. The castle was built to honor Richard Wagner and his operas. Ludwig II, also known as the Fairytale King and Mad King Ludwig, spent nearly all of the family fortune building his castles. In an attempt to curtail his spending, Ludwig was declared insane. A few days later he was found dead (along with the doctor who declared him insane) in a nearby lake.


On the train between München and Füssen.

In the town of Füssen looking up toward Neuschwanstein. There are three ways to reach the castle: ride in the enclosed back of a large truck, horse and carriage, or walk. We walked to the top.

Here we are in front of a little waterfall on the way to the castle. The walk was about a mile long up a steep paved road. In icy conditions, walking is the only way to reach the castle.


This is Neuschwanstein. It was the inspiration for the princess castle at Disneyland.

The views from the castle were spectacular. Photography of the castle interior is prohibited, but the real beauty was not indoors.