Which 19th-century castle in Bavaria was commissioned by King Ludwig II?

Neuschwanstein Castle was the 19th-century Bavarian castle commissioned by King Ludwig II. The palace stands above the village of Hohenschwangau in the foothills of the Alps, near Füssen and the Austrian border.

Ludwig commissioned the project as a private retreat and as a tribute to the medieval legends and operas of his friend Richard Wagner. Its design drew on Romantic ideas about the Middle Ages rather than on the practical military architecture of a genuine medieval fortress. Stage designer Christian Jank created the early concept, while architect Eduard Riedel developed the building plans.

Construction began with the foundation stone in 1869, and Ludwig moved into parts of the unfinished palace in 1884. He lived there for only 172 days before his death in 1886. The castle was opened to visitors soon afterward and became one of Germany’s most recognizable landmarks.

A common mix-up is with Hohenschwangau Castle, Ludwig’s childhood home, or with his other major projects, Linderhof Palace and Herrenchiemsee.