Neuschwanstein Castle: The castle that inspired Disney
We have all seen the fireworks bursting behind a beautiful castle in the opening of every Disney movie, haven’t we? It’s probably the Neuschwanstein Castle, an elaborate chateau type castle in Fussen, Germany, commissioned by King Louis II of France, that inspired Walt Disney’s iconic castle! Let’s explore if this is really true and why Disney chose this castle among so many others!
Neuschwanstein Castle: Fit for two Disney Princesses
Yes, the castle did inspire Walt Disney, a man who is known to give happy endings through his stories. The castle in the animated movie Sleeping Beauty, released in 1959 by Walt Disney Productions, was inspired by the Neuschwanstein Castle. Not just this, apparently, Cinderella’s castle too was based on the beautiful architecture of the Neuschwanstein Castle. The cylindrical towers and the Romanesque architecture was the perfect model for both of Disney’s princesses. The white facade and blue turrets have indeed been an inspiration for Disney’s animated movie Cinderella that was released in 1950. Don’t believe us? Check out the striking resemblance between them.
The Neuschwanstein Castle: Why did King Louis II build it?
The name ‘Neuschwanstein’ means New Swan Stone Castle. The construction of the castle, built in the Bavarian Alps, Germany, began in 1868. However, it was never completed. After King Louis died of drowning in 1886, it was opened to the public despite being incomplete. King Louis II was known as Mad King Ludwig. He was the ruler of Bavaria in 1864, since the tender age of 19 years. His expensive and eccentric interests had earned him the nickname Mad King Lugwig. After accepting defeat against Prussia in 1866, he was unable to keep up with the duties of the role of a monarch. So, he created an alternate world where as the ruler of Bavaria, he could still continue to live in opulence. Hence, the Neuschwanstein Castle. He simply commissioned the castle for its beauty and to enjoy the view of the mountains. The castle is set overlooking the Pollat Gorge and stands on the remains of two smaller castles.
The castle and the king
The king wanted to live in the castle within three years of commissioning it. However, the building site posed several difficulties. Several artisans, workers and architects were employed to meet his ambitious plans, working day and night. King Louis II also wanted the castle to be equipped with the latest amenities like walled courtyard, an indoor garden, spires, towers, an artificial cave, running water, flush toilets and a central heating system. The castle even boasted of a kitchen elevator and telephones although they were so rare at the time!
King Louis was a patron of Richard Wagner and the paintings in the castle depict the legends that influenced the composer. The king loved art and would often invest in artistic endeavours, and developed an extravagant mania to continue building in the mountains. Despite being heavily in debt, he continued to build more structures. He stayed away from society in the early 1880s. Ultimately, he was declared mentally unfit by doctors. On 12th June, 1886, he was sent to the Berg Palace in Berg Village, situated near Lake Starnberg in Upper Bavaria, where he died of drowning in the lake on 13th June, 1886.