HAVE GERMAN WILL TRAVEL BAYERN

Konig Ludwig II und die bayerischen Schlosser/ Bavarian Castles

Madness in Bavaria

th n 2,000 cubic meters of wood, The pompous Throne Room visited it. ju. t for the scaffolding. with giant paintings of Arch­ The composer whose heroic Ludwig II, who planned angel Michael and Saint Georg, operas had also earned him the to live completely alone in patron saint of the Bavarian reputation of a German chau­ Neuschwanstein, was for his time order of knights, created by vinist died in 1883 in Venice at a very progressive employer. He Wilhelm Hauschild, symbolizes the Palazzo Vendramin, near the integrated all of the construction the Parsifal legend of the Holy Canal Grande. Shortly before his workers and stonemasons into Grail. According to the architec­ death, he is said to have stated: the Association for Workmen tural and ideological concept of "If one already has the bad luck Employed at the Royal Castle ' •dwig 11, Neuschwanstein waq of being born in Germany, one Building Site in Hohenschwangau, pposed to combine the W:'I! should at least have the good which provided insurance, largely nerian trinity of Tannha~se fortune of dying in Venice." co-financed by him. The insur­ Wartburg Castle, Swan Knii;.,11 Ludwig II died three years later, ance guaranteed that the salaries Lqhengrin's castle and Parsifal's under circumstances that are still of workers who got sick or hurt Grail Castle. unclear: He drowned on June 13, would continue to be paid for Ludwig's bedroom was also 1886, in Lake Starnberg. Three 15 weeks. The wives of workers pompous; it was kept in the Neo­ days before, he had been arrested killed in accidents (a total of 39 Gothic style with a huge, sump­ at Neuschwanstein Castle and in the course of the 23-year build­ tuously carved bed. Wagner is interned at Berg Castle on Lake ing period) received a lifelong also present here in the form of a Starnberg after having beicn pension. painting of "Tristan and Isolde" declared insane by psychiatrist For its time, the interior of by August Spiess. fl.ernhard von Gudden, who had the castle was very modern. The Neuschwanstein's romantic been hired by the Bavarian gov­ "knight's castle" had a hot-air highlight is a Venus grotto based ernment. central heating system with addi­ on a stalactite cave y.,ith a small The Bavarian treasury could no tional floor heating. Every floor artificial waterfall. As the high­ longer afford the costs of Ludwig's had running water and toilets light, Ludwig II had a small boat castles (Linderhof, Herrenchiem­ that flushed automatically. The built which combined a Vene­ see and Neuschwanstein), which employees had an electric paging tian gondola with a clam-shaped 1s one reason why the monarch system at their disposal and sev­ throne. Ludwig II had a "gon­ was deposed. Today, though, eral telephone connections. dolier" to chauffer him across Ludwig's castles are a lucrative The servants no longer had to the small lake, which could be source of income, bringing in mil­ carry meals upstairs from the illuminated by either red or blue lions for Bavaria.- -- big kitchen on the lower level. light. "Ludwig hated war and They left that to an elevator. Ludwig's favorite animal, militarism but loved art," said When it was built, the kitchen the swan, characterized Prince Leopold of Bavaria. "He was equipped with the most up­ Neuschwanstein - already in the was declared insane because he to-date devices (including a hot name given to the castle. During had unique castles built. Had water system) and turbine-driven the Middle Ages, it was the he started wars and won them, rotating spits to prepare venison symbol of chivalry and purity. he would have become a hero and other meat. The brilliant white water bird is throughout the ages. So instead, The latest technology also made like a castle relic, surfacing repeat­ he is considered a lunatic. Thar work on the construction of the edly, including in a wonderful the real madness." exterior easier. The loading cranes majolica sculpture in the king's were driven by steam engines. The living room. large-format windowpanes in the Although Neuschwanstein is entire castle were also unusual. where Ludwig 11 wanted to live in The opulent inner rooms were seclusion and spend the last years in the neo-romantic style. The of his life, he never witnessed the largest room, the "Sangersaal" final construction work (by his (Singer's Hall), is based on the successor, Prince Regent Luitpold hall in Wartburg Castle and deco­ in 1892). He only spent 172 days rated with motifs from Wagner's in the rooms of his fairytale castle. operas, "Lohengrin" and "Parsi­ His great hero, Wagner, to whom fal." he had dedicated the castle, never