No escape from Disney, Part III.

Once upon a time, a young man dreamed a dream. Even though the age of knighthood was long past, and kings and princes had been reduced to figureheads, and the centers of power had moved from palaces to office buildings, the young man dreamed of castles in the clouds where fairytale dreams really could come true if you wished upon a star.

That young man's name was Ludwig II of Bavaria.

During the years from 1861 and 1886, he built a series of fairytale castles,the most famous of which is Schloss Neuschwanstein, never fully completed in Mad Ludwig's lifetime (and only 30% completed on the interior).


60 years later, another young man came to Schwanstein on a family vacation, and was inspired to create his own version of this fairytale castle. That man's name was Walt Disney, and the Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland is directly inspired by the exterior of Ludwig's grandest folly.

And 65 years after that, Audry and I spent a day tromping around Neuschwanstein.


Ludwig had the jump on Walt in many ways. Like the various Magic Kingdom castles, Schwanstein uses forced perspective to great an impression of great height. (Not that it isn't plenty tall to begin with.)


The courtyard inside the castle. Contributing to the Disneyland feel is the fact that the castle is not made from hewn stone as of old, but rather from poured concrete blocks which have been molded to look like stone. It gives everything a slightly artificial feel.


The view of the Bavarian countryside from one of the towers:


You aren't supposed to take photos inside the castle, mainly so they can sell you postcards and picture books at the end of the tour. But Audry managed to steal a few snaps. Looking straight up the end of the circular stairway at the top of the tallest tower:




Heading back from the castle via horsecart:


Far below Schwanstein is Hohenschwangau Castle, where Ludwig was born. His bedroom contained a large telescope, through which he would was the progress of construction of Neuschwanstein.


As we ate lunch in a restaurant in the town below, the owner's dog made it clear he would appreciate some scraps.