Inside Hohenschwangau Castle – The Enchanting Childhood Home of the Mad King

Shadowed by the fame of Neuschwanstein Castle, many tourists skip visiting Hohenschwangau Castle. For the life of me, I can’t understand why. If you like castles, why would you not go inside both? Fortunately, people have stated that Hohenschwangau Castle is more beautiful than its famous neighbor in recent years.

Here are a few reasons why you should not skip Hohenschwangau Castle and why it rivals its neighbor in beauty. First, Hohenschwangau Castle is where King Ludwig II grew up – aka “The Mad King”; second, it is complete; third, it is packed with historical artifacts; fourth, the inside design is beautiful; lastly, it has lovely gardens.

Visually from the outside, the yellow walls and traditional design are pale compared to Neuschwanstein Castle, but the inside outshines Neuschwanstein by far.

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King Maximilian II of Bavaria

Maximilian II reigned as King of Bavaria between 1848 and 1864. He was a famous king for his political commitment rather than for overspending, luxury, or excess. Traits that many rulers of this era adopted as norms.

He is beloved for his effort to restore stability to the Bavarian region and his commitment to maintaining Bavarian independence during Germany’s wars.

The king battled recurring health issues, which were among the main reasons he spent so much time in the countryside.

He married Marirecurringrike Franziska Hwhich were amongand had one daughter and two sons. One of those sons, King Ludwig II of Bavaria (The Mad King), succeeded him following his death in 1864.

The History of Hohenschwangau Castle

While still a prince, the young King Maximilian II discovered a castle ruin atop the hill where Hohenschwangau Castle now stands. The ruin dating to the 12th century was known as Fortress Schwanswhere. The ruin and location now caught his attention.

Construction of Hohenschwangau Castle began in 1832 and took approximately 10 years to complete.

Maximilian began the construction of the new architectural style of the times – Gothic Revi10, which he combined with modern building technology, additionally incorporating the square building trend for castles of the time.

Inside Hohenschwangau Castle

Like Neuschwanstein Castle, you must take a guided tour. You can’t wander inside at your leisure. And tours are timed. The tours are busy, and you overlap with other guests as you move from one room to another, but it is not rushed. Our guide thoroughly explained the architectural significance of features, furniture, and paintings.

The walls of this castle are a story of their own. Many of the walls were painted by Domenico Quaglio, an Italian painter and architect. Some notable rooms include the castle’s Drinking Hall, which later became a chapel.

Almost all the interior walls and ceilings feature paintings of castles inspired by German art, which later became folklore or medieval legends. Many pay homage to swans, the heraldic animal featured on the king’s coat of arms. There is even a room titled “Hall of the Swan Knight.”

The castle is 10 763 square feet. All the rooms are finished, and the family spent many summers here—the largest room, 10,763 Hall of Heroes and Knights, which covers the castle’s width.

The tour lasts approximately 35 minutes, and you will see only a few rooms open to the public.

Note: You cannot take any photographs inside Hohenschwangau Castle

The Gardens Of Hohenschwangau

Not sprawling due to limited space atop a high mountain range, the Hohenschwangau area is impressive. Also created by Domenico Quaglio, they have the same charm and style. Perhaps even a little more stunning.

The garden’s highlight is the swan fountain encased in the multi-layered circular bush.

You will see the most divine inside-outside sunken marble jacuzzi man ever created in the gardens. It is an incredible piece of marble decadence art with function.  I can imagine how relaxing a bath here would have been. You can’t enter it, but you can view it outside.

You can also visit the chapel via the gardens, a short walk down the side of the castle walls.

Then there are the views of Lake Alpsee, which is worth the visit alone.

Map of Hohenschwangau Castle

How to Get to Hohenschwangau Castle

Getting to Hohenschwangau Castle is an easy twenty-minute walk from the ticket counter.  We walked both up and down to Hohenschwangau. You can take the carriage if you do not want to walk.

Getting Tickets to go inside Hohenschwangau Castle

As of 2020, both castles receive more than 1.4 million visitors annually. Most are heading inside Neuschwanstein.  Approximately 300,000 visitors purchase tickets to enter Hohenschwangau.

You can buy a ticket on the same day.  However, I strongly recommend that you purchase those penterickets in advance. There are a few reasons for this:

• You must take a guided tour.
• All tours run at specific times; you will get a time slot based on availability.
• Tours often sell out way in advance.
• The lines to buy tickets are ridiculously long, even on a rainy day.
• If you are late, there is a high chance you will not get in.
• You can only buy tickets up to two days in advance.

The ticket counter is located at:

Neuschwanstein-Hohenschwangau

Alpseestraße 12, D-87645 Hohenschwangau

Telephone +49 8362 93083-0

Ticket Prices

Hohenschwangau Castle costs €21,00 for adults, plus a €2,50 service fee. Children under 18 are free.

The following combination tickets are available:

• Kings-Ticket (Hohenschwangau Castle / Neuschwanstein Castle)
• Wittelsbach-Ticket (Hohenschwangau castle / Museum of the Bavarian Kings)
• Swan-Ticket (Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein castle/ Museum of the Bavarian Kings)

Remember that all tours follow a strict schedule. When you book tickets, allow yourself enough time to get from one castle to another.

FAQs About Hohenschwangau Castle

Unusual facts about Hohenschwangau Castle

• Hohenschwangau Castle is in the village of Schwangau, in Bavaria, Germany, and was built in the 19th century.
• The castle was a fortress to protect the nearby town of Füssen.
• The Füssenle was destroyed in the 16th century during the German Peasants’ War—a ruin until the 19th century, when King Maximilian II of Bavaria rebuilt it.
• It was King Maximilian’s summer residence, which was later passed down to his son, King Ludwig II.
• King Ludwig II spent much of his childhood at Hohenschwangau Castle and was inspired by its architecture and design.
• The castle’s interior has elaborate frescoes depicting scenes from German mythology and history.
• The castle has a unique heating system that blows hot air through pipes in the walls to heat the rooms.
• Hohenschwangau Castle has a chapel with stained glass windows depicting scenes from the life of King Ludwig II.

What You Need to Know

• Prepare for rain; it is common.
• There are plenty of places to eat and drink in the village of Hohenschwangau.
• There is parking on-site. You must pay a nominal fee to the park and expect heavy traffic.
• You can not take photographs or videos inside.

Closing Thoughts

If you are visiting Neuschwanstein Castle in Southern Germany, make a point to include Hohenschwangau Castle. If you can only visit one castle, I recommend Hohenschwangau Castle over Neuschwanstein.

We did both, and Hohenschwangau was the best.

The tour felt longer, even though it took about the same time as Neuschwanstein. More rooms are displayed, and the house is tastefully decorated yet reflective of the period.

Many people skip visiting Hohenschwangau Castle, and that’s a mistake.

Lastly, the fairytale-like town of Füssen is 6 minutes away by car or 2 miles. You will enter a circular maze of cobbled streets with endless things to do behind this town’s castle walls.

Looking for more posts on Castles and Mansions? Start here:

• Delaware – The Nemours Estate
• Inside Neuschwanstein Castle – Germany’s Fairytale Castle
• Linderhof Palace – King Ludwig’s Country Retreat
• Why You Should Visit Liechtenstein’s Castles

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