Schloß Hohenschwangau

Hohenschwangau Castle is one of the most famous sights in Germany. Over 300 thousand tourists from all corners of the world come here every year, and it is unlikely that among them there will be one who can forget the acquaintance with this unique structure – a true architectural masterpiece not only of its time, but also of our time.

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Video: Hohenschwangau Castle

Contents

Highlights

‘ Neuschwanstein Castle, already built by Ludwig himself. The convenient reciprocal location allows tourists to visit one attraction first and immediately move on to the second.

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History

Hohenschwangau Castle, which went down in history as the romantic residence of the Wittelsbach dynasty, was built on the site of Schwanstein Fortress. The majestic building belonged to the noble family of Schwangau since the XII century. Its representatives were brave knights and famous troubadours. The last representative of the royal family of Hohenstaufen, Prince Conradin, persecuted by Pope Clement IV, took refuge here.

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‘ Hohenschwangau Castle in winter
‘ Hohenschwangau Castle and surroundings

Features of the architecture

The architectural style of Hohenschwangau Castle is neo-Gothic, characteristic of the Romantic era. The medieval spirit of the building is given by the pointed and defensive turrets, carved stone wall. It is amazing how Dominico Quaglio was able to fit the building so harmoniously into the surrounding landscape. The bright yellow color delighted even the generally reserved King Ludwig II. However, Domenico Quaglio died before finishing the interior decoration.

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‘ Ballroom
‘ Living room
‘ Castle Kitchen
‘ Part of the kitchen
‘ Swan figurka

In the bay window of Hohenschwangau, which protrudes beyond the plane of the facade, there is a domestic chapel. Not everyone knows that it was designed by Ludwig II himself. Russian Emperor Alexander II once gave the “fairy king” two Orthodox icons, which later decorated the chapel.

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‘ The courtyard of Hoenschwangau Castle
‘ Swan Fountain

Mode of operation, how to get there

Hohenschwangau Castle is located near the city of Füssen. It takes a couple hours to get from Munich to Füssen by train. From the train station, the Hohenschwangau Castle, as well as Neuschwanstein, can be reached by bus. The journey to the Hohenschwangau stop takes 8 minutes. Here are the ticket offices where you need to buy tickets. The cost of visiting one castle is 12 euros. Two – 23 euros. For children under 18 years of age, the entrance is free.

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‘ class=”fancybox” >Swan knights figures above the entrance to the castle

The castles are open to the public from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from April through September. From October to March they are open until 3:30pm. On Christmas Day and New Year’s Day they are closed to visitors. The ticket office is open from 8 a.m., but tickets may run out by lunchtime. The queues are very long. Tourists who have ordered tickets in advance go through without queuing.

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Hohenschwangau, as mentioned at the beginning, is on a hill, so it takes about 15 minutes to get there, but the road is easy. You can get there by bus (not running in winter) or by horse-drawn carriage.

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Visits are organized, in groups of 30 people. Tours of Hohenschwangau Castle are in German and English. You can use the audio guide for free, there is also in Russian. The tour lasts about 35-40 minutes. Next to the castle, in the annex, there is a souvenir store. There is a large selection of handmade products. You can also have a snack in cafes and restaurants.

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