Hohenschwangau Castle

Hohenschwangau Castle (Castle of the High Swan County), was the childhood residence of King Ludwig II of Bavaria and was built by his father, King Maximilian II. It is located in the German village of Schwangau near the town of Füssen, very close to the Austrian border. The castle was built on the remains of the fortress Schwanstein, first mentioned in historical records dating from the 12th century.

A family of knights was responsible for the construction of the original medieval fortress, and after the demise of the knights in the 16th century the fortress changed hands several times. The decay of the fortress continued until it finally fell into ruins at the beginning of the 19th century. In 1829 Crown Prince Maximilian, who became King Maximilian II of Bavaria, discovered the historic site and reacted enthusiastically to the beauty of the surrounding area, acquiring the property in 1832. One year later the reconstruction of the Castle began, continuing until 1837.