"I want to remain an eternal mystery to myself and others...." - King Ludwig II
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
....and this he was till the very end.
***
I will never claim that I am a history buff. In fact, I was probably sleeping when History and Geography were being taught during my elementary or high school days. I did get good grades because I was good at memorizing but remembering is another thing...:)
Oh, regrets...regrets...
Anyways, joining Vienna's Aguman Kapampangan-organized tour to the region of Bavaria (Bayern), Germany last weekend proved to be a close encounter with the interesting history (and mysteries!) of the now well-loved Bavarian King, Ludwig II.
 |
| King Ludwig II |
Ludwig Otto Friedrich Wilhelm was King of Bavaria
from 1864 until shortly before his death in 1886.
He purportedly lived in his own dream world, building a fantasy world around him. From 1875 on, he lived at night and slept during the day.
The grand palaces he built during his days are living monuments of the ideal fantasy world he desires - his refuge from reality. His eccentric behavior earned him the title "Mad King of Bavaria" - though the accuracy of this label has long been disputed. He was deposed on grounds of mental incapacity and was imprisoned at Castle Berg. On 13 June 1886, he was found dead in Lake Stenberg with his psychiatrist. The circumstances sorrounding his death remained a mystery to this day.
But was he really insane? Did he kill himself or was it murder? Was he gay?!!!
No matter how history judges Ludwig II, the fact remains that he gave the world the magnificent Bavarian castles we now admire in awe.
Now back to the tour....
We started at 6AM proceeding to the small town of
Altötting - famous for the
Gnadenkapelle (Chapel of Grace) which houses the "Black Madonna" and silver urns immortalizing the hearts of Bavarian kings including that of King Ludwig II.
 |
| The town of Altoting in Bavaria |
Now the castles..
1.
Schloss Herrenchimsee - Ludwig's island get away...
 |
| Versailles-inspired Schloss Herrenchimsee... |
|
Schloss Herrenchiemsee, situated in the island of Chimsee and now accessible only by a small ferry boat, is a neo-Baroque structure inspired by the Palace of Versailles. Ludwig's admiration of King Louis XIV - the Sun King - was evident in the castle's interior with frescoed ceilings showing 25 tableaux of the Sun King.
The palace feautures technological works relatively advance in those period - an elevator table in the dining room and central heating system. Unfortunately, works discontinued after the King's death and only 20 of the planned 70 rooms were completed.
In my opinion, Schloss Herrenchiemsee is also the grandest (and most expensive) of all Ludwig's palaces with 5 kg of gold leaves used for its interiors. Almost everything is elaborately designed with gold. Massive candlelit chandeliers, including a Messein porcelain one, drapes the ceiling. Too bad that I cannot show them in this blog as no photos are allowed inside the castle. My description does not do justice to the jaw-dropping magnificence of the palace's interior.
2. Schloss Neuschwanstein - the Cinderella Castle.
 |
| Neuschwanstein Castle as seen from Marienbrucke (Marie's Bridge) |
It was said that the design of Disney's Cinderella castle was a takeoff from Neuschwanstein - much-touted as Germany's best known and most visited castle.
Began in 1869 and also unfinished, the castle embodies the "dream world" of Ludwig II. The walls of the castle are intricately painted with figures from the poetic world of the Middle ages paying tribute to Richard Wagner - the King's favorite composer (and to whom he dedicated the castle!)
The tour features the throne room, the King's chamber and bedroom, the Palace's ballroom - all ornately designed and with "modern conveniences" quite advance for its time. Again, simple description would not do.
It has to be experienced to be fully appreciated.
By the way
, if you managed to go - wear your most comfortable shoe. If you like hiking, the mile-long walk up is yours. For those who prefer to "save calories" like me- buses go to the Marienbrucke every ten minutes and horse carriages are available for hire, saving you some kilometers (but its still a fair distance to the castle).
3. Schloss Hohenschwangau - the Palace of his Youth.
 |
| Hohenschwangau Palace from the hill to Marienbrucke |
|
This was not part of our program but Hohenschwangau Castle is where King Ludwig II spent his youth. Further reading describes the castle as being much more traditional and features several photographs of the King and his family. It is also worth noting that the present-day structure is not the original castle, having been destroyed by Napoleon's forces, then later rebuilt in the 19th century.
4. Schloss Linderhof - Small but majestic
 |
| The only Palace King Ludwig II completed before his death... |
|
Schloss Linderhof is the smallest of the three palaces King Ludwig II commissioned to be built. It has only ten rooms, only 4 of which are functional. True to the King's obsession with privacy, the palace is tucked away among the quiet hills and valleys of Oberammergau.
Linderhof may not be as grand as the other two palaces King Ludwig built but this is where he spent most of his time. The gardens look fanstastic when we visited but I'm sure they will be more splendid in summer.
 |
| Aguman Kapampangan of Vienna and friends |
It was a fun-filled tour enjoyed with friends... great tour infused with history and mysteries - a deeper insight to the man whose 'madness and obsession' would leave an astounding legacy of magnificent structures to the world...
****
“Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers.
The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently.
They're not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo.
You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them.
About
the only thing you can't do is ignore them.
Because they change things.
They push the human race forward.
And while some may see them as the
crazy ones, we see genius.
Because the people who are crazy enough to
think they can change the world,
are the ones who do.”
****
