Picture a fairy tale castle, like the one at Disney World. It is white on the outside with a blue roof. It has many turrets. The castle you are imagining is called Neuschwanstein. It was the castle that Walt Disney used as a model for his parks.              

Neuschwanstein is in Bavaria, Germany. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Europe. Over 1.4 million people visit each year.             

The castle was built by King Ludwig II. He wanted a place to hide because he didn’t like being with other people. He started constructing the castle in 1869.             

Neuschwanstein means “New Swan Stone.” It was named after the Swan Knight, a character from King Ludwig’s favorite opera. The castle is decorated with a lot of swans. There are also images from other operas.              

The castle’s highest tower is 213 feet tall. And there are over 200 rooms. Only 15 of the rooms were fully finished before King Ludwig died in 1886.             

Neuschwanstein is very ornate, which means it has a lot of decorations. King Ludwig wanted it to be like a true fairy tale. Fourteen carpenters worked for over four years just to carve the woodwork in the bedroom.           

The Throne Room is one of the most elaborate rooms in the castle. There is a 13-foot-tall chandelier and mosaics on the floor. Historians say that King Ludwig wanted to prove that he was a powerful king, even though his political power was decreasing. Unfortunately, he died before a throne could be placed in the room.            

Another interesting part of the castle is an artificial cave. It has colored light bulbs. The light bulbs were part of the original design. Light bulbs at the time were very new. The kitchen is also very modern for the era.             

King Ludwig only spent 11 days in his castle. But it gave him the name “the Fairy Tale King.” He left it behind as a legacy that continues to be popular today.