Neuschwanstein Castle | 360° visibility

We invite you to take a virtual trip with a 360° view to the most fabulous castle on the planet – Neuschwanstein, which is located in Germany, using the wonderful AirPano and Google Maps services.

 

AirPano is the world's largest resource for providing the highest quality 360° photos, usually taken from a bird's eye view. Filming is carried out mainly from helicopters and drones, but planes, airships and hot air balloons are also used.

With the AirPano service, you can view the fabulous Neuschwanstein Castle from a bird's eye view using only the keyboard and mouse (also works on mobile devices):

• You can rotate the panorama with the mouse or use the arrows on the keyboard;
• To zoom in or out, scroll the mouse wheel;
• The "helicopter" icon indicates the points to which you can move. To get to such a point, click on the "helicopter";
• To descend to the ground, click on the "traveler" icon.

☛ Go directly to the virtual panorama

 

Google Maps has taken solo travel to a whole new level. They give you the opportunity to see the world for free, explore new places and plan future trips at any time without leaving your home.

Using the Google Maps service, you can virtually walk around the castle itself and inside its walls, using only a keyboard and mouse (also works on mobile devices):

• Move around the map using the arrow keys to move forward or backward, hover over the desired location;
• To zoom in or out, scroll the mouse wheel;
• The "X" icon indicates the points to which you can move. To get to such a point, click on it.

☛ Go straight to virtual cards

 

Image enlarges when clicking on it | airpano.ru

Germany is a country of fairy tales that gave the world, for example, Wilhelm Hauff and the Grimm brothers. And in Germany there is the most fabulous castle on the planet: Neuschwanstein, whose name translates as “New Swan Rock”. In the second half of the 19th century, it was built by Ludwig II of Bavaria, or, as he was also called, the “Fairytale King”.

In a series of German rulers, Ludwig II occupies a special place. Romanticism and daydreaming distinguished him from strict and warlike ancestors and descendants. They differed so much that he directed all his state ardor (together with the state treasury) only to realize his dream of wondrous countries inhabited by mysterious creatures.

Image enlarges when clicking on it | airpano.ru

Disappointed by the everyday life of bustling Munich, Ludwig II was not interested in its problems, day by day more and more plunging into his own world of dreams. So several castles were born: Herrenchiemsee, Linderhof and Neuschwanstein. Each of them is a masterpiece of world architecture, enchanting with its weightlessness and fabulous silhouettes among the majestic mountains.

The Wartburg castle, the only surviving castle of feudal Bavaria, was chosen as a model for Neuschwanstein. But the brainchild of Ludwig II greatly surpassed the original. At one time, the opera Lohengrin by Richard Wagner had a great influence on the king; Ludwig saw himself in the noble knight of the white swan – the fairy-tale hero of ancient legends. And with the help of architects, he created his own "Swan Castle".

Image enlarges when clicking on it | airpano.ru

Its walls reflect the magical world of the Nibelungenlied, medieval legends about Parsifal, Lohengrin and Tannhäuser, the Holy Grail, Tristan and Iseult... Masters worked long and carefully on every room, every panel. Every detail here is a true work of art. But precisely for this reason, construction progressed very slowly and was not even completed during Ludwig's lifetime. For example, only 14 carpenters worked on woodcarving in one bedroom for 4,5 years.

At the same time, the king surprisingly subtly knew how to combine fantasy with reality: for all his unearthly appearance, the castle was equipped with the latest technological word of its time. The rooms of the royal apartments are equipped with hot air central heating, the toilets had an automatic flush system, an electric bell system was used to call the servants, and there were even telephones on a couple of floors!

But still, Neuschwanstein is, first of all, a fairy tale frozen in stone. It became the prototype for the Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Paris and was the inspiration for Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake ballet. He completely drove the king himself insane. Instead of solving the urgent tasks assigned to the ruler, he went on expeditions in the footsteps of William Tell or dined with the spirit of Louis XIV. Day and night changed places with Ludwig II, for which he was called the "Moon King".

Image enlarges when clicking on it | airpano.ru

According to Bavarian law, the king can be removed from power if he is deemed unfit to govern. Not surprisingly, one day (in 1886) Ludwig II was deposed. He was transported to Berg Castle, and the next day the king died in the lake under unclear circumstances, along with a psychiatrist who diagnosed him... These mysterious events created an intriguing halo of the castle. Already two months after the death of the king, the unfinished Neuschwanstein was open to tourists!

And it is right. No stories and photos of Neuschwanstein will fully convey its beauty. After admiring the virtual panoramas at the end of this article, we still recommend that you definitely see the fairy tale with your own eyes. Getting to Neuschwanstein Castle is not at all difficult: both taxis and trains go there from the cities closest to it.

Also in the vicinity of Neuschwanstein there are several other famous castles: Hohenschwangau, Füssen and Schwangau. For the convenience of visiting them, a "romantic road" (romantic shtrasse) has been created – a special tour that is in demand among the guests of Bavaria. And there are ski slopes nearby, there is a lift that lifts skiers and tourists to Mount Tegelberg. In general, even a whole day will not be enough to fully enjoy the beauty and diversity of these places.

Now let's take a look:

• panoramas from the AirPano service
• virtual maps from Google Maps.

 

Neuschwanstein Castle: Virtual Panorama

 

Neuschwanstein Castle: Virtual Maps