Neuschwanstein Castle
Introduction
Have you ever wondered where the idea for Disney's Cinderella Castle came from? It was inspired by King Ludwig II's Neuschwanstein Castle. It somewhat resembles the look of a fairy castle even though it wasn't intented to. Today, the Neuschwanstein Castle stands in remembrance of the king himself and his obsessions.
Creation
The creation of the castle is a story to tell. Although it was never truly finished, it is still a remarkable landmark and offers tours on the main grounds and such. It was constructed in the 19th century from 1868 to 1892. At the time, King Ludwig II was in great debt so the creation of the castle in no way helped his problem. The designer was Christian Jank with the help of builders Edward Riedel and George Dollmann. You can find this magnificent structure in Bavaria, Germany near the alps.
Inspiration
It was said that Ludwig wanted to follow in his fathers footsteps and commision a castle that would restore the glory of a former castle. The king also had it constructed as a retreat for his socially phobic self. He wanted it to echo the courtly aesthetic of the old Teutonic Knights, although it turned out to have a lot of Romanesque style from the 13th century. Neuschwanstein also resembles the look of a fairy tale castle and Wagner's work.
Personal Life
King Ludwig II's personal life definitely had an affect on the construction of the castle. He was never considered a popular king and in fact was pronounced "insane" later in his life before the castle stopped being built. Throughout the construction, King Ludwig II himself had a room in a neighboring castle that he used a telescope in to watch the creation and construction of the castle as it was built. Ludwig was known to be obssesed with Wagner's work. Because of this, a lot of his castle is decorated with it.