Linderhof Palace - Castles of King Ludwig II in Bavaria

 King Ludwig II Rococo palace in the Bavaria mountains - Linderhoff

Linderhof Palace is the only building project that King Ludwig II saw to completion.  His life was cut short mysteriously when he was found dead, floating in a lake at 40 years old.  "Mad" King Ludwig most likely was not mad but quite eccentric.

Linderhof is located near the Ettal Abbey in the mountains of Bavaria.  The main house is open year round but the gardens and park buildings are open Spring through early fall.  Consult their website for exact dates and times.

We drove from Rothenburg ob der Tauber to Linderhoff, along the Romantic Road, in about 3 hours.  It is a very scenic drive and many places to stop off at if you wanted to make a day of it.  Our plan was to visit the palace, tour the gardens and a few of the out buildings before heading to Schwangau to stay the night.  Schwangau is less than a mile from the famous Neuschwanstein Castle and Hohenschwangau (where Ludwig was born.)  We stayed at Landhotel Guglhupf and loved it!  We had a huge room and were able to unpack  and breathe.  The breakfast was delicious with home baked pastries - way beyond your usual European fare.  There is not a restaurant on-site but there is one a few blocks away for dinner.

 Ludwig Considered himself the "Moon King" a romantic shadow of the Sun King Louis XIV.  Many aspects of Linderhof will remind you of Versailles, but a much more compact version.

Salon - Photo Credit

Moorish House - Photo Credit

Interior of Moorish House - Photo Credit

Grotto - Photo Credit

King Ludwig was infatuated with Richard Wagner, the composer.  Ludwig designed this grotto, with Capri underwater lights, so he could see private performances of operas while sitting in his clam shell raft.  There are a lot of rumors about their relationship...

 

Maximilian II, Ludwig's father's, hunting lodge needed to be moved to finish the final build out of Linderhof.  The lodge was relocated on the property and still can be visited today.

 

Other posts about our trip to Germany:

Cologne, The Rhine River by ferry and train, Burg Rheinfels - traveling the Rhine, Marksburg Castle, Burg Eltz, Heidleberg , Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Have you visited any of Ludwig's Castles?  Which one is your favorite?

 

P.S. See Brittany at the Rococo Roamer for her post with aerial shots taken by her husband in a helicopter with a fresh dusting of snow!

Cheers,

Amy

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