LUDWIG II

  

 

Ludwig II
König Ludwig II

König Ludwig II

In 1864, at the age of 18˝, Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria, son of Maximilian II, ascended the Bavarian throne. The unusual lifestyle and passionate building plans of the lonely king led to the creation of the "Fairytale King" Legend.

As a young prince, Ludwig came under the spell of the composer Richard Wagner. After a performance of Wagner's "Lohengrin" in the Munich Court Theatre in 1861, Ludwig became devoted to Wagner's music, and this devotion was to lead to a life-long patronage that was to ensure financial security for the rest of the composer's life.

Neuschwanstein Castle
Castle Neuschwanstein
Linderhof Castle
Linderhof Castle

 Life as a king was far from easy for Ludwig. His lonely childhood, spent mostly in Hohenschwangau, had little prepared him for the adult world where his word as king was important in determining the course of his country. His desire for absolute monarchy came into conflict with the daily life of Munich court, and slowly Ludwig withdrew into a world where he could realize his childhood fantasies - a world reflected in the operatic works of Wagner; a world which gave birth to the castles Neuschwanstein, Linderhof and Herrenchiemsee. Ludwig tirelessly sought out venues for the realization of his dreams. Up to his tragic and mysterious death in the Starnberger Lake in 1886, he continually strove to create a world far away from the claustrophobic reality of his own times.
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