Built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria, Neuschwanstein Castle is a 19th-century fairy-tale like palace located on a cragged hill above the village of Hohenschwangau near the town of Füssen in southwest Bavaria, Germany.

Construction started in 1869 and was completed less than twenty years later in 1886. King Ludwig II constructed the castle as a retreat to escape the public and also in honor of his friendship and admiration of Richard Wagner, the famous German opera composer. King Ludwig II, also known as the “Swan King” or the “Fairy-tale King”, was a patron of the arts and a great lover of music. His great passion for Richard Wagner can be seen inside the castle with wall paintings that illustrate scenes of his most famous operas. Every room within the castle is an expression of Ludwig’s love of music, art, poetry and writing.

Neuschwanstein Castle is allegedly the inspiration for many of the Disney castles including the Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty Castles. This dramatic Romanesque fortress with soaring fairy-tale turrets, overlooks the level green land and also Ludwig’s childhood home, where Ludwig supposedly envisioned the castle.

The castle can be easily accessed from Munich in less than 2 hours by car or 2.5 hours by train. Neuschwanstein Castle is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Europe today and with as many as 6,000 visitors a day in peak season, it is advised to book your tickets in advance to discover one of the most idyllic fairy-tale castles in the world.