

The throne room carries an added symbolism, however, in that it was never fitted with the item that would have given it its purpose: the throne itself. It is almost poetic that the throne-the element that would have most directly represented Ludwig’s idealized medieval kingship-would have secretly been supported by features of a period in time he had come to despise: his own. Girders form a structural lattice above, supporting the ceiling and the arched apse above the dais, and even the dais itself rests upon iron supports. Perhaps the most egregious anachronism, however, was the pair of telephones fitted into the third and fourth floors.Īlthough it is not immediately apparent from within the space, the throne room is actually supported by a framework of steel members. An electric bell system allowed Ludwig to summon servants from elsewhere in the castle, while a pair of lifts allowed them to reach him without climbing any stairs. These windows, which would have been impossible to craft during the medieval period, were not the only contemporary features of the palas: the entire building was equipped with central heating and running water, with the King’s lavatory even featuring an automatic flushing mechanism. The King’s apartments on the third floor feature an ornately decorated Gothic bedroom, an artificial grotto inspired by a Wagnerian opera, and a winter garden whose panoramic view of the Alps surrounding the castle are sealed in by what were, at three meters tall, the largest window panes ever made at the time. While much of the interior of the palas was never finished, the few rooms that were completed form a vivid image of Ludwig’s ultimate dream for Neuschwanstein. Save this picture! Courtesy of United States Library of Congress The bower and square tower would not be completed until after the King’s death in 1886, and even then only in a simplified form the 90-meter tall Keep, which would have featured a Gothic chapel at its base to form the heart of the castle, was never realised. The structure was to be composed primarily of brick, sitting atop a cement foundation and clad in limestone. The complex, as designed, featured the following spatial elements: a gatehouse, two courtyards, the palas, a Keep with an ornate chapel, a Knights’ House, a Ladies’ House (or “bower”), and a square tower. Once the gatehouse and palas were ‘topped off,’ work could proceed on the accessory structures and the lavish interior of the palas itself. The palas was topped out another seven years later in 1880 Ludwig finally moved into his intended apartments in 1884. However, it would be four years before he could move into the gatehouse, which was, at that point, the only space ready for habitation. When the first foundation stones were laid in September of 1869, Ludwig fully expected to be living in his completed castle within three years. Ludwig’s visit to a contemporary reconstruction of the Wartburg Palace, however, saw the concept shift to a larger Romanesque castle with multiple structures leading to a five-story royal residential building, or palas. Neuschwanstein, as envisioned by Ludwig and illustrated by Jank, was an idealized Gothic castle.
Neuschwanstein castle layout portable#
Portable audio guide device: French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Hungarian, Czech, Slovenian, Polish, Greek, Hebrew, Russian, Arabian, Japanese, Mandarin, Korean and Thai.Īdditional, detailed information about visiting Neuschwanstein Castle can be found here on the website of the Bavarian Palace Administrationįor the tariff regulations for Neuschwanstein Castle, please click here.Save this picture! Plans of the first, fourth, and fifth floors. Neuschwanstein Castle is closed on December 24th, 25th and 31st and January 1st. ► Summer opening time: April 01st, 2023 to October 15th, 2023 ► Winter opening time: October 16th, 2022 to March 31st, 2023 Group tours only on written request: castle is open as follows: For further information for mobility-impaired guests, please click here…


Visits are only possible within a guided tour with limited capacity. The guided tour takes about 30 minutes.įor wheelchair users and visitors with reduced mobility, the Neuschwanstein Castle Administration offers the opportunity to take part in a regular guided tour of the castle by means of an elevator.
