My name is Thea Good. I am currently a sophomore student at Luther studying nursing. During our stay in Munich we took a day trip to local tourist sites including Oberammergau, the town of the famed passion play. However, the adventure of the day was visiting Neuschwanstein castle. This palace is in Schwangau, Bavaria. The castle’s name of Neuschwanstein literally translates to “New Swan Stone” but the castle is often called the “fairy tale castle.”  

It was built by King Ludwig II in the 19th century. In his lifetime King Ludwig II was obsessed with many of Richard Wagner’s operas, and was one of the composer's largest benefactors. The castle features artwork depicting the characters of Wagner’s famous works, including Lohengrin, which was based on the Swan Knight legend.  When building the castle King Ludwig II featured swans throughout the decor of the palace. Ludwig passed away suspiciously during his reign, and a large portion of the palace went unfinished.

During the tour of the castle, we were able to see many rooms including the throne room, the royal bedroom, and many more! The pictures on the walls of the castle dealt with love and guilt, repentance and salvation.

The hike up to the castle allowed us to enjoy the beautiful setting surrounding the castle in the magnificent Alps. This castle was a breath-taking stop on our journey as we continue to explore the culture and diversity of Germany.