Other Bavarian Sites

Although the name "Royal Castles" is limited to the castles of Hohenschwangau (built by Ludwig's father, Maximilian II) and Neuschwanstein, the extravagant king was responsible for the creation of three magnificent castles. The other two are Linderhof, near Oberammergau, and Herrenchiemsee on an island in Chiemsee.

In 1868, after a visit to the great castle of Wartburg, Ludwig wrote to his good friend, composer Richard Wagner: "I have the intention to rebuild the ancient castle ruins of Hohenschwangau in the true style of the ancient German knight's castle." The following year, construction began on the first of a series of fantastic edifices, a series that stopped only with Ludwig's untimely death in 1886.

From Füssen you can take a fascinating side trip to the Wieskirche, one of the most extravagant and flamboyant rococo buildings in the world, a masterpiece by Dominikus Zimmermann. On the slopes of the Ammergau Alps between Ammer and Lech, Wieskirche is a noted pilgrimage church, drawing visitors from all over the globe. It's located in an alpine meadow just off the Romantic Road near Steingaden. With the help of his brother, Johann Baptist, Zimmermann worked on the building from 1746 to 1754. Around the choir the church has "upside-down" arches, and its ceiling is richly frescoed. It's amazing that such a rich decoration could be crowded in such a small place. The great Zimmermann was so enchanted with his creation that he constructed a small house in the vicinity and spent the last decade of his life here.