Linderhof - favorite castle of the "fairy king" of Bavaria

Linderhof Castle is one of the three famous German castles located in the picturesque mountains of Bavaria. This is the smallest and “home” residence of King Louis II, whose main highlights are the Grotto of Venus and the English garden.

General information

Linderhof Castle is located in Upper Bavaria (Germany), and is one of the many residences of King Louis II. The attraction is located 30 km from Garmisch-Partenkirchen and 8 km from the small village of Oberammergau.

The location of the castle is extremely convenient for tourists: the famous Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwanagau castles are 20 km from here.

Linderhof Castle in Germany is famous not only for its luxurious interiors, but also for its large garden located in the mountains. Louis himself often called it the “Residence of the Swan Prince”, and members of the royal family called it the “Temple of the Sun”. The symbol of the Linderhof castle in Bavaria is the peacock, whose statues can be found in many rooms.

Short story

Maximilian of Bavaria (father of Louis II) loved to travel, and, once visiting Upper Bavaria, he saw a small hunting lodge in the mountains. Since the king was very fond of hunting, he bought this small building and the surrounding area.

After almost 15 years, the son of Maximilian, Louis II, decided to build a castle for himself in Germany in the likeness of Versailles (the king drew sketches of future interiors himself). The place for the future residence was chosen very picturesque: mountains, a pine forest and several small mountain lakes nearby.

However, at the initial stage of construction, it became clear that there was simply not enough space for such a grandiose idea. As a result, the construction of Versailles continued in Herrenkimsee (Germany). And in Upper Bavaria, it was decided to erect a small secluded palace in which the king could come with his family.

The king’s residence in Bavaria was built over 15 years. For the decoration of interiors and the manufacture of furniture used local wood, the walls and ceilings of the castle are also completely built of wood and plastered.

Architecture and Interior

Linderhof Castle in Germany was erected in the rare Bavarian neococo style, and it seems very small against the background of the famous Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwanagau. The attraction consists of only two floors and 5 rooms, which were built exclusively for Louis II. Guest rooms or an office where the king could receive guests does not exist.

Since the Linderhof castle in Bavaria was intended exclusively for the king and his family, there are not many halls and bedrooms here:

1. The bedroom of the "King of the night." This is the largest room in the house, only Louis II had the right to enter. The walls are decorated with paintings in gilded frames and frescoes, and in the center of the chambers there is a huge four-meter bed with a velvet canopy and gilded legs. Interestingly, this interior was created by a theater artist.
2. The Mirror Hall is a small room in the eastern part of the castle, which, however, looks no less than a bedroom, since mirrors hang on the walls and ceiling. They reflect hundreds of candles and golden bas-reliefs, creating an indescribable atmosphere of mystery and fabulousness.
3. The tapestry hall was used as a museum, which housed a large collection of tapestries and furniture brought by Louis from different countries.
Tapestry hall
4. The reception hall is the king’s study, where he, sitting at the massive malachite table (a gift from the Russian emperor), was engaged in public affairs.
Dining room
5. The dining room is the castle's most modernized room. Its main highlight is the table, which worked on the principle of an elevator: it was served in the basement, and then lifted up. Louis II was very pleased with this arrangement: he was an unsociable person, and preferred to dine alone. The servants said that the king always asked to set the table for four, because he dined with imaginary friends, among whom was Marie de Pompadour.

The king was very proud of what comes from the Bourbon dynasty, so in all rooms you can see many coats of arms of this genus and lilies (their symbol). But there are no images of swans (the symbol of Louis himself) in the castle of Bavaria, since the king believed that another residence - the castle of the White Swan - should “tell” about his greatness and power.

Linderhof Gardens

Since Louis originally wanted to erect the Linderhof Palace in Bavaria in the likeness of Versailles, much attention was paid to the gardens and the entire area around the palace square. On a territory of 50 hectares, the best gardeners in France, England and Germany laid out flower beds and created a picturesque English garden.

Walking through the park, you can see about 20 fountains, 35 sculptures and several unusual arbors. In addition, in the gardens you can find:

1. Moroccan house. This is a small but very beautiful building in the center of the garden. Inside you can find dozens of oriental carpets and rare types of fabrics.
2. Hunding's hut. A hunting lodge built as a decoration for one of the operas. In the rooms you can see bear skins, stuffed birds and weapons.
3. The hunting lodge. The very house, upon seeing which, Maximilian of Bavaria decided to buy these lands.
Moorish Pavilion
4. Moorish Pavilion. A small building in the western part of the garden, built in oriental style (early 19th century). Inside are marble walls, paintings in golden frames and a large peacock throne, which was brought to Germany at the end of the 19th century.

Like his father, Louis was very fond of opera and revered the works of Richard Wagner (he was a frequent visitor to Bavaria), to listen to the works of which the Grotto of Venus was erected - the symbol and main attraction of the Linderhof castle. The acoustics in this small underground room were simply amazing, and the king loved spending his free time here.

It is interesting that it was in this grotto for the first time in Germany that the devices that are used today in theatrical productions were used: light-changing lamps, sound equipment and smoke machines.

In the central part of the grotto is a fountain and a small lake. These two sets were perfectly suited for the production of “Tannhäusers”, which Louis loved very much.Find out RATES or book any accommodation using this form

How to get from Munich

Linderhof Castle and Munich are 96 km away. Unfortunately, you can’t get to your destination without transfers. There are 3 options:

1. You must take the R-Bahn train at Munich Central Station and get to the Bavarian village of Oberammergau (ticket costs from 22 to 35 euros, travel time is a little over an hour). Trains run 3-4 times a day. After that you need to transfer to the bus, which will take you directly to the point of interest (cost - 10 euros). Total travel time is 2.5 hours.
2. You can get to the sights with a change in the German city of Murnau. You need to catch the train from Munich Central Station to Murnau (price - from 19 to 25 euros, travel time - 55 minutes). After that you need to transfer to the train going to the village of Oberammergau (cost - from 10 to 15 euros, time spent - 25 minutes). The remaining path (10 km) can be done either by taxi (about 20 euros) or by bus (10 euros). Total travel time - 2 hours. Trains run every 2-4 hours.

3. You must catch the Flixbus bus at Munich's main bus station (run 4 times a day). Get off at the Garmisch-Partenkirchen stop (travel time is 1 hour 20 minutes). The remaining path (about 30 km) will have to be done by taxi. The cost of the bus is 4-8 euros. The price for a taxi ride is 60-65 euros. Total travel time - 2 hours.

Thus, answering the question of how to get to Linderhof Castle from Munich, one can regretfully say that you can get to the sights quickly and comfortably by taxi only - the other options are cheaper, but you will need to make at least one change.

You can buy train tickets either at the ticket office of the railway station, or in special machines that are located at German stations. By the way, it’s more profitable to buy tickets at the machines - you can save 2 euros.

Flixbus bus tickets are available on the official website: www.flixbus.de. Here you can monitor new promotions (they are carried out very often) and company news.
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Practical information

• Address: Linderhof 12, 82488 Ettal, Bavaria, Germany.
• Opening hours: 9.00 - 18.00 (from April to September), 10.00 - 16.00 (October-March).
• Cost of visit (Euro):

Admission is free until 18 years old.

The total ticket price (Linderhof + Neuschwanstein + Hohenschwanagau castles) is 24 euros. This ticket is valid for 5 months after purchase, and you can purchase it at any of the above castles in Germany or online.

Official website: www.schlosslinderhof.de

Useful Tips

1. The tour is already included in the ticket price. Unfortunately, visiting the castle without a guide will not work, because there are a lot of people who want to see the residence of Louis. But the park can be visited unaccompanied. Please note that the guide speaks only English and German.
2. Take the whole day to visit the Linderhof, Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwanagau castles - you won’t be disappointed.
Schloßhotel Linderhof 3 *
3. If you were captivated by the beauty of Linderhof Castle, you can stay for the night - just a few km away is the hotel of the same name (Schloßhotel Linderhof 3 *).
4. Please note that you cannot take photos in Linderhof Castle (the same applies to Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwanagau castles).

Linderhof Castle in Bavaria (Germany) is the smallest, but the most original and original residence of Louis II.

Walk around Linderhof Castle:

Watch the video: Linderhof Palace - Interesting Facts, Ettal Abbey, Bavaria, Germany (November 2024).