Germany Gets 4 New UNESCO World Heritage Sites

The most-visited castle in Germany, along with three other royal residences, joined the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites. Neuschwanstein Castle, with its fairy-tale towers and lavishly decorated halls, has long been a favorite destination for traveling families. But the three other palaces belonging to King Ludwig II of Bavaria should also be on any itinerary.

Ludwig II, King of Bavaria from 1864 to 1886, began creating his own romantic fantasy world in 1867 as an escape from official life in Munich. Having lost a war with Prussia, Ludwig also lost much of his power as king, so the elaborate residences in Bavaria allowed him to live in regal splendor and again be a “real” king.

For Neuschwanstein, he chose the style of old German knights’ castles and decorated the interior with scenes from the romantic legends, poetry and the fictional Castle of the Holy Grail from the opera Parsifal. He selected an incomparable setting on a crag with panoramic views of the Bavarian Alps. He had admired the rocky pinnacle as a child, spending summers at his family’s castle on a neighboring hill.

The French royal palace of Versailles inspired his next dream, and while the first was underway, he began planning a second on an island in a lake near Munich. Ludwig’s intention was to outshine Versailles, and visitors can tour Herrenchiemsee Palace today to see lavishly decorated carved paneling, marquetry flooring, glittering chandeliers, and frescoed walls and ceilings. It has its own Hall of Mirrors, 107 yards long with gilded stucco flourishes and 33 crystal chandeliers.

While Herrenchiemsee is all about size, Linderhof Palace creates a fairytale scene, more like a large lavish villa set in perfectly manicured formal gardens with pools and fountains. The interior, in contrast to the serene setting, is a riot of dramatic ornamentation. Every inch of every room is covered in some form of decoration, much of it in gold.

After kids have boggled at the interior, climb to the spooky passages of Venus Grotto, an artificial cavern with stalactites, colored lighting, a pool and a fanciful boat.

King’s House at Schachen, standing at an altitude of more than 5,000 feet, seems modern and restrained by Ludwig’s standards. Designed as a getaway for enjoying the mountain air and scenery, the first impression is one of a spare rustic lodge with pine-paneled walls. But step upstairs to emerge in the Turkish Hall, a fantasy of purple, red and gold.