HOHENSCHWANGAU, BAVARIA, GERMANY

The Hohenschwangau Castle is in the south-west of Bavaria in Germany. It was built in 1829 by Crown Prince Maximilian who became King Maximilian II of Bavaria when his father King Ludwig I abdicated. King Maximilian and Queen Marie were the parents of Ludwig and Otto.

Hohenschwangau was built on the site of Schwanstein. Schwanstein was first mention in the 12th century. A family of knights built Schwanstein and after the knights the castle changed hands several times. Eventual it fell into ruins.

1829 Crown Prince Maximilian heard of it and loved the beautiful surrounding. He bought it in 1832 and started to build the castle which was finished in 1837. The architect Dominico Quaglio designed it in a neo gothic style.

Hohenschwangau became the summer and hunting residence of Maximilian, his wife Marie (princess of Prussia) and their two sons Ludwig and Otto.

When King Maximilian died in 1864 and Ludwig became King Ludwig II of Bavaria he took over his father's room. Since Ludwig never married his mother kept living there. King Ludwig loved living there and Neuschwanstein was only a stone throw away. After Ludwig's death, Queen Marie was the only person living in Hohenschwangau till she died in 1889.

Her brother-in-law, Prince Regent Luitpold of Bavaria lived on the 3rd floor. He installed electricity and elevators. He died in 1912 and the castle was opened to the public.

The castle was never damaged in the First World War or the second.

In 1923 the government of Bavaria gave the right to the former royal family to live there. Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria and his family used it as a summer residence.

1941 Prince Adalbert left the military and moved his family into the castle Hohenschwangau till the rest of the war.

Nowadays the castle has 300,000 visitors per year and it is open all year round.

HOLIDAYS / VACATIONS

A Vacation or Holiday in the Bavarian Alps will be guaranteed unforgettable. Hohenschwangau and the close by Neuschwanstein are really worth a visit as these hundreds of thousands of visitors proving it.  The scenery is incredible and there are many activities such as swimming, climbing, walking tours and mountaineering to be enjoyed. Furthermore there are two palaces built by Kind Ludwig II to be visited. They are Linderhof and Herrenchiemsee which are with a travelling distance and tours are available.  To see all the villages around there with their beautifully painted houses will add to your memorable experience.