Love snow-covered mountains, turquoise-colored lakes, and enthralling, romantic castles?! Well, Füßen is the German city for you (and me)!
My mom was able to take off time from work to come visit me, which was an incredible blessing. We rented a car and journeyed south on the famous Romantic Road to the Bavarian city of Füßen. Naturally, we took a few unexpected detours and ended up driving on the Autobahn +! Cars were flying by us! The terrain was mainly flat or slightly hill until we reached the Austria-Germany. Rocky mountains loomed in the distance. It was beautiful. Of course, I had to take a picture!
Füßen is over 700 years old and located on the Germany-Austria border. Its close proximity to Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau Castles has allowed the town to become a popular tourist attraction.
We only had 24 hours in Füßen so we prioritized our time with tours of Hohenschwangau Castle and Neuschwanstein Castle.
Hohenschwangau Castle
Hohenschwangau Castle was first built in the 12th century and ruled by the Knights of Schwangau until the 1535 when the castle was destroyed. But in 1832 Crown Prince Maximilian II decided to rebuild the castle. His two sons Ludwig II and Otto spent their childhood here.
Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take photos inside the castle. But the decor was unbelievable. Every inch of the castle was decorated with centuries old paintings and enclosed in an elegant gold trim. Each royal family member had their own floor of the house that was decorated according the duties and responsibilities of their title. For example, the King’s floor was decorated with paintings of the knighting of a king, winning a glorious battle for the homeland, and wooing beautiful women to become his wife. The children’s quarters were on the top floor, the king’s quarters on the floor below, and the queen’s quarters were below the king’s.
There is a reason for the famous phrase, “Be careful what you say! The walls have ears!” Hohenschwangau has hidden passageways leading to every room! These passageways were used by servants during the winter months to light all furnaces in the house. The royal family did not want be disturbed with the frequent relighting of furnaces, so they designed these passageways to prevent the servants from being seen. But, from within these passageways servants could learn about all the royal family drama!
Neuschwanstein Castle
Nestled high in the Alps, this world-famous castle was originally built for only one person: King Ludwig II of Bavaria. The intention was to make a more beautiful and comfortable castle than that of his childhood home, Hohenschwangau Castle.
Unfortunately photography was also prohibited inside Neuschwanstein castle. But the exquisite detail of every woodcarving and painting and the advanced was absolutely astounding. The tour guide informed us that fourteen carpenters worked for more than four years on just the woodwork in the King’s bedroom!
But as the tour continued, it became more and more clear why the Bavarian people often referred to their king as “Mad King Ludwig.” For example, we were led into an enormous room decorated with a balcony, mosaic wall paintings, patterned wood flooring, and glass chandeliers. At first, I thought it was a ballroom, a chance for the king to share his fairytale castle with the outside world. But I was wrong. In reality, this “ballroom” was designed as only a room for King Ludwig to sit alone and think!
Despite 17 years of construction, most of castle still remains unfinished. After the death of King Ludwig II in nearby Lake Starnberg on June 13th, 1886, all construction on the castle ceased.
What an amazing trip! I learned so much about Bavarian history in just 24 hours! Next stop, München!