Clancy Tucker's Blog: 9 February 2020 - Bavaria: Land of Beautiful Castles, Palaces and Fortresses

Bavaria: Land of Beautiful

Castles, Palaces and Fortresses

G'day folks,

Germany is a beautiful country and is always worth a visit in general, but one particular region in this country piques the interest among tourists, Bavaria.

The land of castles, picturesque Alpine landscapes and rich history and traditions, Bavaria is one of the most-visited places in entire Europe, with an estimated 94.4 million travellers paying a visit to this magical place every year. One of the main reasons why visitors come to this region and venture far beyond its capital, Munich, are the hundreds of castles, fortresses, and palaces scattered throughout Bavaria, each one more splendid and breathtaking than the other. So, let’s have a look at them.

Considered one of the most beautiful castles in the world, Neuschwanstein is also the most visited one. Apart from being a work of art by itself and famously inspiring the Disney logo, Neuschwanstein offers an unbelievably picturesque view onto lake Alpsee. The castle is situated on a hill not far from Schwangau village, and booking a tour to the castle ahead of time is the only way to visit Neuschwanstein.

Despite its resemblance to a medieval fortress, Neuschwanstein was built in the 19th century at the initiative of Ludwig II, the king of Bavaria infamous for being more interested in building beautiful palaces than ruling his kingdom. The king commissioned the castle in honor of Richard Wagner, the famous German composer, and the interior of the castle is full of frescoes depicting myths and legends that inspired Wagner’s operas.

Yet another of King Ludwig’s lavish commissions, Herrenchiemsee is an exquisite palace located on an island, namely Herreninsel, the largest island in lake Chiemsee. The palace was erected in place of an existing monastery and being the last of King Ludwig’s projects, it was never completed.

The oldest castle on our list, Burghausen was built around 1025 or even earlier as a means of protection against the Turkish invasion. Burghausen lies on the Salzach river close to the Austrian border, and it’s the largest fortress in Germany and the longest castle in the world.

Burghausen is a true medieval fortress and looks nothing like the heavily adorned and fairy-tale-like Romanesque castles we’ve introduced earlier. So if you want to visit a real gothic castle in Bavaria, Burghausen is your best bet.

Now, here are some more.