Which Bavarian castle did Walt Disney sculpt Cinderella's after?

The Bavarian castle associated with Disney’s Cinderella-inspired castle design is Neuschwanstein Castle. Built in the 19th century for Bavaria’s King Ludwig II, it rises above the village of Hohenschwangau near the Austrian border and is famous for its fairy-tale towers, dramatic mountain setting, and romantic medieval appearance.

Neuschwanstein was not the only reference used by Disney designers. Cinderella Castle also drew from European landmarks including the Alcázar of Segovia, Château d’Ussé, Schwerin Castle, and Château de Chambord. That is why saying it was copied entirely from Neuschwanstein is an oversimplification. The Bavarian palace is more directly associated with Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle, while Cinderella Castle is a composite design.

Ludwig II began Neuschwanstein in 1869 as a private retreat inspired by medieval legends and the operas of Richard Wagner. Despite its old-world appearance, it used modern 19th-century engineering and was never fully completed. Its familiar silhouette later became one of the strongest visual symbols of the fairy-tale castle.