High above Bavaria in southern Germany, sits a castle that was built to inspire fantasy.
But to construct this breath-taking building in such a unique location, the team faced
harsh realities.
Ludwig II was King of Bavaria for 22 years between 1864 and 1886, ascending to the throne
when he was just 18 years old.
In 1866 Bavaria, allied with Austria lost a war with Prussia and Ludwig lost his status
as a sovereign ruler. A year later, he began planning the construction of a kingdom where
he could feel like a real King.
Ludwig II’s father owned Hohenschwangau Castle nearby, and Ludwig had spent much of
his early life growing up there, exploring the surrounding trails and lookout points.
One of those features was “Jugend” a narrow mountain ridge that the ruins of two small
castles sat on. It was here that Ludwig planned Neuschwanstein; his grand home.
Preparation works for the new castle began in 1868 with demolition and clearance of the
existing ruins and an eight metre excavation into the stone outcrop, creating space for
foundations.
A critical new access road up the mountain was completed in June 1869 and the castle’s
foundation stone – complete with building plans, portraits of Ludwig and coins from
his reign – was laid on 05 September.
Building such an ornate structure, perched along the sheer cliffs of the outcrop was
extremely difficult. At the time, the construction team were making use of the latest building
techniques, including cement for the foundations. The walls were formed with brick, clad with
light-coloured limestone. Steam engines drove cranes, powering the stone and masonry materials
up the mountainside to the construction site.
The gateway building was the first section to be completed, topping out in June 1872.
A few months later, Ludwig began living in this part of the castle, overseeing the works.
Construction of the main palace started that September.
Despite employing what were then-advanced construction techniques, the works progressed slower
than anticipated. The challenging site was compounded with ever more extravagant, changing designs
from the King, and impossible deadlines that often forced his architects and engineers
to work 24 hours a day.
As the years went by, Ludwig increasingly withdrew from human contact and the realities
of constitutional monarchy. He created a detached fantasy world around himself and became practically
nocturnal.
His behaviour impacted on the engineering plans for his new home, even driving the use
of a steel frame to make an elaborate new throne room possible. His passion for Richard
Wagner inspired much of his architectural vision.
Behind the ornate interior, the castle was fitted out with telephones, hot air central
heating and running water – considerably modern touches at the time.
The structure was topped out in January 1880 and Ludwig began living in the main palace
from 1884 whilst the fit-out works continued.
The King’s increasingly peculiar behaviour led his government to plot a coup against
him, assembling psychiatrists who had never met him to sign a report declaring that he was insane.
Against Ludwig’s will he was taken from Neuschwanstein in June 1886 and held at Berg
Castle near Munich. He was found dead in Lake Starnberg the next day alongside one of the
psychiatrists– never seeing his castle completed.
Shortly after the King’s death, the palace was opened to the public. The fantasy-inspired
creation in such a breath-taking setting, quickly became popular.
Neuschwanstein was finally completed in 1892 and has gone on to become one of the most
visited and photographed castles in the world. Its presence is notable throughout popular
culture; appearing in numerous films and paintings. Today, the structure draws crowds of up to
6,000 people a day in summer months, which is particularly impressive given its remote location.
Maintenance is an on-going task. The castle’s highly-exposed setting has weathered the limestone
facades, with work ongoing to repair them. The foundations are also carefully monitored
and the shear rock walls have to be repeatedly secured.
Despite the tough realities of its construction in Ludwig’s reign and its maintenance today,
Neuschwanstein is undoubtedly one of the world’s most impressive and well-known castles; a
bridge between our real world and the make-believe that continues to inspire imagination.
If you enjoyed this video, don't forget to share it with a friend, and to more from the definitive
video channel for construction, subscribe to The B1M.