Neuschwanstein Castle - Bavaria - Germany Postcard

Neuschwanstein Castle (Schloss Neuschwanstein), is a nineteenth-century Romanesque Revival palace situated on a rugged hill in the Bavarian Alps of Germany. Located nearby are the village of Hohenschwangau, and the mediaeval city of Fussen . The castle was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria as a retreat and and homage to Richard Wagner. The castle is one of three castles occupied or commissioned by the King during his reign. The others include Hohenschwangau Castle or Schloss Hohenschwangau (lit: High Swan County Palace) built by his father, King Maximilian II of Bavaria, and Linderhoff, which is located to the south near the Catholic abbey in Ettal. The castle was built primarily for the visual beauty of its surroundings, rather than for defensive purposes. Located above the farmlands of Hohenschwangau, and Schwangau , it offers views of the snow-capped Alps, and several picturesque lakes including Forggensee, Alpsee, and Schwansee. Neuschwanstein, along with several other European Castles, served as the inspiration for Walt Disney's castle in Sleeping Beauty. And through its association with Disney, it has come to serve as the iconic example of what a romantic fairytale castle looks like, even though its atypical, and overly extravagant compared to most European Castles. And it's this extravagance that created controversy around its construction, as many of his subjects believed he was squandering public money for personal gratification.