Lower thirds
00:02 Report by Andreas Kichhoff
01:16 Patrick Korb | Neuschwanstein guide

Script:
0.02
It’s like something out of a fairy tale: a knight’s castle with an impregnable keep, perched high on a mountain — Neuschwanstein. Built at the end of the 19th century on the edge of the Alps, it quickly became world-famous. So much so that even the Disney corporation incorporated variations of Neuschwanstein into its logo. The current castle owners, the Free State of Bavaria, have been working since 2001 to have it added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List. About 1 million visitors come to Neuschwanstein every year.
0.35
((Chinese visitor))
I think this is a must-see in Germany. It’s very impressive, with a long history and a magnificent building. Very good.
((Canadian visitor))
Love it. Like, this is crazy.
((Indian visitor))
The castle with the cliffs behind it and the ravine — we saw the bridge across it — that’s a beautiful scene. And then from the other side, the lake, two completely different views. Yeah, I think it’s a perfect location.
1.01
Shortly after Ludwig II was crowned King of Bavaria in 1864 at just 18 years old, he began ambitious castle-building projects — starting with Neuschwanstein.
1.13
Patrick Korb, Neuschwanstein guide:
He was a deep and contrasting character. Certainly a dreamer, eccentric — even more so the longer he lived. And that may have been another reason why he wanted to escape and build his own world, where he could just be himself.
1.29
Despite more than 20 years of construction, Neuschwanstein Castle was never completed. Many rooms remain empty. The Throne Hall has no throne. All work on the castle ceased immediately after Ludwig’s death.
His fairy-tale castle is an escape into the Middle Ages; but also a surprising showcase of technical innovation.
It had running cold and hot water — and even a telephone line to summon the servants.
1.55
Two other magnificent castles built by King Ludwig II are also part of the UNESCO World Heritage nomination.
Linderhof Palace in the Ammergau Alps is a smaller rococo-style castle.
Then there’s Herrenchiemsee Palace, a Baroque complex inspired by Versailles. Its Hall of Mirrors is even two meters longer than in the French original.
“I want to make Bavaria a temple of the arts,” Ludwig II once said. With his castles — Herrenchiemsee, Linderhof, and Neuschwanstein — he came pretty close to achieving that.