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| LINDERHOF |
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Linderhof is in the
south-west of Bavaria, Germany and the smallest of the palaces built by King
Ludwig II of Bavaria. It was the only one Ludwig saw finished. Ludwig use to go
there with his father on hunting trips. At first it was a very small building
and nicknamed 'Koenig's haeuschen' (small king's house).
King Ludwig enlarged
it and built it in 1874 in the style we see it today. King Ludwig idolized the
French King Louis XIV and loved the style of Versailles. Therefore, Linderhof
became a copy but in a much smaller version.
The symbol of the
sun was in every decoration of the rooms. Furthermore, in copying the style of
Versailles the bedroom in Linderhof is the larges and faces north. It emphasis
the night-King Ludwig which was the opposite of the sun-King Ludwig XIV.
Linderhof is in the
south-west of Bavaria, Germany and the smallest of the palaces built by
King Ludwig II of Bavaria. It was the only one Ludwig saw finished. Ludwig used
to go there with his father on hunting trips. At first it was a very small
building and nicknamed 'Koenigshaeuschen' (small kings house).
King Ludwig
enlarged it and built it in 1874, in the style we can see today. King Ludwig
idolized the French King Louis XIV and loved the style of Versailles.
Therefore, Linderhof became a copy but in a much smaller version.
The symbol of the
sun was in every decoration of the rooms. Furthermore, in copying the style of
Versailles the bedroom in Linderhof is the largest and facing north, it
emphasis the night-king Ludwig which is the opposite of the sun king Louis XIV.
Another interesting
fact, Linderhof was build in barock style because it compliments the Ettal
Abbey where the 'Holy Grail' is preserved.
Linderhof has a
more private atmosphere because there are only four rooms there which were
really used.
The Hall of Mirror
was used by King Ludwig as a living room. He used to sit and read, sometimes
all night. King Ludwig used to sleep during the day and stay awake at night.
The mirror gave the illusion of endlessness by reflecting the candles a
thousand times.
The middle table
has been inlaid with laps-lazuli, amethyst quartz and chalcedon and with the
Bavarian coat of arms in glass mosaic. The carpet was made with ostrich
feather, ivory candelabra with 16 branches and two mantelpieces with la
pis-lazuli and gilded bronze ornaments.
An eastern and
western tapestry chambers which are identical, only for the western chambers
has an Aeologion (piano and harmonium in one).
The audience
chamber which does not live up to its name because it was too small for an
audience to be held there. King Ludwig used it as a study where he
developed his building projects. There are two round tables with malachite
tops, a present from Czarina Maria Alexandrowna to King Ludwig.
The throne
baldachin was with ostrich feather (an oriental symbol of royal power).
The Dining room is
located to the east and on the side are a pink and blue cabinet. They were used
by the king as a robin room. The dining room is also famous for its disappearing
dumbwaiter. The table was installed because the king wanted to dine alone and
yet it had to be laid for four so he would think he had guests.
A Meissen porcelain
centrepiece with china flowers is a masterpiece.
The bedroom was
rebuilt in 1884 and not completed till two year after the king's death.
The bed is on steps
in the alcove and closed off by a gilded balustrade. Glass candelabra with 108
candles and two console tables of Meissen porcelain which were the king's
favourite china
The garden of
Linderhof is the most beautiful creation of historic gardens.
The palace has
formal gardens and is in five sections.
Toward the north it
has a cascade of thirty marble steps which end into a Neptune fountain
and at the top of the cascade is a Music Pavilion.
On the west side is
a basin with a gilded 'Fama'. Also on the west side is a pavilion with a bust
of Louis XIV and a fountain with sculpture of Venus and Adonis.
The water parterre
in front of the palace is a large basin with a gild fountain group of 'Flora
and puttos'. The fountain is about 25 meter high.
The eastern
parterre has a wooden pavilion with a bust of Louis XIV. The 24 steps down is a
fountain basin with a gilded sculpture of Amour shooting an arrow. Further
sculptures of Venus and Andonis are between the fountain and palace.
In the south side
terrace gardens are a 'Naiad' fountain with three basins and sculptures of
water nymphs, a bust of Marie Antoinette of France and a temple with a statue
of Venus.
The landscape
garden has an area of 50 hectare (125 acres) and blends well in with the
natural alpine surrounding.
In the park is the
famous Venus Grotto. It was built to bring the first act of Wagner's
'Tannhaeuser' into reality. Ludwig loved to be rowed across the lake in his
golden swan-boat. He also loved the blue grotto of Capri. Therefore 24 dynamos
were installed and it is possible to illuminate the grotto in changing colours.
Another building in
the park is the Hunting Hut which was inspired by Wagner for the first act of
the "Valkyrie". Ludwig used to have German feasts there.
A building called
Gurnemanz Hermitage where Ludwig came on Good Friday to contemplate.
Ludwig was also a
great admirer of oriental architecture. The Moorish Kiosk was designed by a
Berlin Architect Karl von Diebitsch for the International Exhibition in Paris
1867. Ludwig wanted to buy it but the railroad king Bethel Henry Stromberg was
quicker. When Stromberg went bankrupt Ludwig bought it
and had it decorated more royal.
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