Neuschwanstein Castle

Located on a sheer cliff with the view overlooking a mountain lake, the Neuschwainstein Castle is one of the most recognizable architectural designs in the world. As often happens, behind a beautiful picture there lurks the bad luck of a stargazing king. Having paid with an early and extremely mysterious death King Ludwig the Second created a most famous symbol of Bavaria which, despite its remote location, attracts over a million and three hundred thousand visitors each year.The photos of Neuschwainstein taken from the Marienbrücke Bridge had long ago become a generalized image of the German castles and have been replicated on the hundreds of thousands of postcards, cups, T-shirts and mouse pads. It is widely thought that this palace inspired Tchaikovsky to compose his Swan Lake ballet, as well as it served as the creative basis for the Walt Disney’s palace. The King’s legacy, although a failed ruler but a famous dreamer, is still alive and yields a handsome income for Bavaria.