Above the mountains, there are swans flying

Germany does not seem to be a country famous for romance, but Bavaria in southern Germany has a famous fairy tale castle: Neuschwanstein Castle (Schloss Neuschwanstein).

It was early summer when I went to Neuschwanstein Castle. I took a train to Fussen, a town south of Munich. Probably because we entered the foothills of the Alps, our eyes were drawn to the cloud-bearing mountain peaks in the distance and the green grass nearby during the train journey. Plus, there were small houses here and there, which gave us a sense of tranquility.

Fussen is a small town with a small population of only 15,000 people. The town is built along the river, beside the lake, and is embraced by the Alps. It looks very petite and beautiful. Climb up and look far away, and you will see exquisite red-tiled and white-walled huts. The slope of the roof is usually very large, which allows the snow to slide off quickly in winter and avoids excessive load-bearing on the house.

Neuschwanstein Castle can be reached from Füssen, and one of the classic places to admire Neuschwanstein Castle is Queen Mary Bridge.

Looking from the air, above the mountains and hidden among the trees, there is this white-walled castle, like a white swan flying high.

Let’s talk about the story behind Neuschwanstein Castle. There was a monarch who single-handedly led the construction of the castle, but ultimately missed his summer palace.

A monarch who can have such romantic feelings is probably a strange person. Sure enough, King Ludwig II of Bavaria, although his national power declined during his reign, he himself always had a high enthusiasm for art.

The name of Neuschwanstein Castle and the interior swan design come from the opera "The Legend of the White Swan" by the famous German composer Richard Wagner. The king had a close personal relationship with the composer and borrowed the white swan to represent his noble character. I built this white castle in the image of myself, wanting it to be my own paradise. However, the opposite happened. In the summer of 1886, the young king mysteriously disappeared after inspecting the construction progress of the castle, and was found dead by the lake the next day.

It is said that he never wanted to open the castle to the outside world, but only used it as a refuge for his soul. However, no more than six weeks after his death, the gate of the castle suddenly opened wide, and tourists flocked to it. In the past ten years, Neuschwanstein Castle was being built while receiving amazing praise from tourists.

This praise has lasted for more than a hundred years and still exists today.

Not far from Neuschwanstein Castle across the mountain, there is Schloss Hohenschwangau (Schloss Hohenschwangau). However, there is no white wall here, but the overall color is light brick red. Ludwig II spent his childhood and most of his life here, and it was also here that he met Wagner. Influenced by the stunning mountains and romantic style of Hohenschwangau, the king gradually came up with the idea of ??building a new palace. This is how the two Swan Castles now echo each other in the air.

Fusen may be small, but all swans fly together. Here, swans, symbolizing purity and loyalty, circle the top of the mountain and embellish the beautiful scenery of the Alps.