Neuschwanstein Castle
A Fairytale Palace and a Tragic Story
Castles have always been a fascination for many people who are drawn to the history and mystery that they hold within their walls. One such castle that has captured the imagination of millions of people around the world is Neuschwanstein Castle, located in southern Germany. This 19th-century Romanesque Revival palace is one of the most visited castles in the world, and for good reason. It is a stunningly beautiful palace that looks like something straight out of a fairytale.
Neuschwanstein Castle was built for King Ludwig II of Bavaria, who was also known as the fairy tale king. It is said that the palace was originally built to allow the king to withdraw from public life in the aftermath of the Austro-Prussian war, having lost his power. The castle's emotive depictions of repentance and salvation in the form of decorations showing knights and kings adorning several of the interior walls, made it a unique masterpiece.
Construction of the castle began in 1869 upon a foundation of castle ruins atop a hill offering up an idyllic view of the surrounding Bavarian landscape. It took more than a decade before workers had completed enough of the castle for King Ludwig II to move in. The design of the castle was a collaboration between architects and theatrical designers and artisans, with the fairy tale king taking inspiration from King Louis XIV of France and the Palace of Versailles.
Despite being such a large and lavish construction, and originally having plans for 200 rooms, the castle was only ever home to King Ludwig II, and not for particularly long either. In 1886, King Ludwig II was dethroned after being declared insane by a team of experts led by psychiatrist Bernhard von Gudden. Their reasoning was largely based upon the King's eccentricities and erratic behavior, such as building lavish castles that would often leave him significantly in debt and choosing to eat outside regardless of the weather.
It is also now known, based on diary entries and other sources, that King Ludwig II was a homosexual, which at the time was seen by many as a deviation from "normal evolution." This was enough for Von Gudden's team to decree that the king was no longer capable of ruling, and two days later, he was seized and brought to Castle Berg, located on the eastern shore of Lake Starnberg. It was here that the fairy tale king would spend his final hours.
At 6 pm on the 13th of June, King Ludwig II requested permission to go for a walk around the lake, and it was decided that Bernhard Von Gudden would be the one to accompany him. This was the last time that either of the two men would be seen alive. Several hours later, the two men's bodies were retrieved from the lake. Von Gudden's body showed signs of being attacked, while there was also reportedly evidence to suggest he had been both hit on the head with something and then eventually strangled.
Officially, King Ludwig II's death was recorded as drowning, however, it has since been discovered that no water was found in the King's lungs, and it was also known that he was a strong swimmer. The mystery of King Ludwig II's death has since sparked wild debate, and various conspiracies have emerged regarding it. In more recent years, investigations into the death of the fairy tale king have indeed added weight to the theory that there was a more insidious motive behind his death.
Evidence unearthed by investigatory teams has shown that the diagnosis of Von Gudden's team of experts was "incorrect in both form and substance." For a start, Von Gudden never met the King during his assessment, they had only previously met 12 years
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