Hohenschwangau Castle

Schwangau has two impressive castles to offer. Neuschwanstein Castle may be the better known, but the older of the two is Hohenschwangau Castle, where King Ludwig II grew up.

Numerous paintings of medieval legends adorn the walls of the castle. The largest room of the castle, the banqueting hall on the royal floor, impresses with its murals of the Wilkina Sage around Dietrich von Bern. That's why it is also called the Heroes' Hall. A highlight of the castle is the Tasso Room, the bedroom of the kings. In the ceiling there is a built-in starry sky, which can be illuminated from the upper floor.

If you want to visit the castle, you must take part in a guided tour lasting about 30 minutes. You can buy tickets at the Ticket Center in Hohenschwangau. For those who are particularly interested, there are also various combi-tickets with which you can also visit Neuschwanstein Castle or the Museum of the Bavarian Kings, which is located directly below the castle on Lake Alpsee.

Hohenschwangau Castle was first mentioned in the 12th century, but at that time it was called Schwanstein Castle. Seriously damaged by various wars, between 1833 and 1837, the castle was rebuilt in the Neo-gothic style by King Maximilian II, who used it as a summer and hunting domicile. His son King Ludwig II, who spent his childhood there, also used Hohenschwangau Castle as a summer residence.

From Kempten, take the A7 southbound to the exit Füssen/Schwangau. Turn left onto the B310 and after 300 metres turn right into Kemptener Straße. In the city centre of Füssen you take the B16 to the B17/Fussener Straße and then turn right to Hohenschwangau. Turn right onto Alpseestraße, which leads to the car park below the castle.