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A Visit to the Bavarian
Province in Germany - Part 2 |
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Castles of Bavaria
After our uplifting religious experiences, as
discussed in our previous newsletter, we did not stay over in Füssen,
as we intended to do, but in a guest house in a small village about
a kilometer or two away from the enchanting castle Neuschwanstein -
King Ludwig’s masterpiece - with imposingly towers high above the
valley below.
King Ludwig was an enigmatic person; someone who
became king at the age of 18, but who soon became alienated from his
royal duties, escaping into worlds of the imagination which he tried
to create by building extraordinary castles. In them the influence
of Wagner’s operas, in which he saw all his romantic dreams
realized, is remarkably noticeable.
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Ludwig spent his childhood at Hohenschwangau, a
majestic golden coloured castle in the woods in between two
beautiful lakes near Füssen. The paintings of German legends in this
castle captivated the prince and intensified his romantic outlook on
life.
When visiting the castles, I would advise to
start with the first one that he erected, namely Linderhof, in
the Graswang Valley close to Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein.
Inspired by Wagner, he desired in a way to recreate the world of
“Tannhäuser” here, as well as the Versailles Palace in France.
Linderhof was completed in 1878. The gardens and terraces
surrounding it cover an area of 50 hectares and is one of the
finest examples of historism in garden design:
parts are in Baroque style, others in the Italian
Renaissance style, and some sections with similarities to the
English Garden. The interior includes rooms such as a Tapestry
Chamber, Yellow, Lilac, Pink and Blue Rooms, as well as a Hall
of Mirrors. |
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The numerous small buildings surrounding
Linderhof are embodiments of Ludwig’s imagination: in the
“Moroccan House” he tried to revive the fairytale world of the
“Arabian Nights”; in “Hunding’s Cabin” he wanted to
re-experience the mythical content of the “Walküre’; in the
golden skiff on the lake of the “Venus Grotto” he desired to
feel the enchantment of “Tannhäuser” …
However, a visit to Neuschwanstein was - for us -
the highlight. This castle, situated high up on the
mountainside, became the model on which all fairy-tale castles
are based, renowned throughout the world. You can reach it by
taking the coach drawn by horses up the steep incline, or like
we did, choose to walk al the way, following the path meandering
through the surrounding forest. Only then will you really become
aware of the awesomeness of this imposing monument created by a
person trying to escape into a dream-world.
And then, standing on a narrow bridge way up
behind the castle, looking down at this fairyland, you will be
thankful that you have visited this region, not missing such an
enriching experience! |
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- Manie Wolvaardt
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