Bavaria's Rich History: Exploring Its Many Castles

Bavaria is home to hundreds of castles, each with its own unique history. From medieval fortresses to royal residences, these castles are a testament to the region's rich and important past. The German state, which sits between the Alps and the River Main, boasts architectural gems that are as fairytale-like as they are steeped in history.

Neuschwanstein Castle

The castle is perched on a hill, giving it an imposing silhouette. Its highest tower reaches a height of 213 feet. The building is furnished with numerous towers, ornamental turrets, gables, balconies, pinnacles, and sculptures. The palace complex is entered through the symmetrical Gatehouse, which is flanked by two stair towers. The eastward-pointing gate building is the only structure whose wall area is fashioned in high-contrast colours; the exterior walls are cased with red bricks, and the court fronts with yellow limestone.

Nymphenburg Palace

History

The palace was commissioned by the electoral couple Ferdinand Maria and Henriette Adelaide of Savoy, after the birth of their son and heir to the throne, Max Emanuel, in 1662. Construction began in 1664 to the plans of the north Italian architect Agostino Barelli, who also designed Munich's Theatine Church. Initially, the Italianate "Nymphenburg summer residence" was a mighty cubic pavilion, flanked by the court church, several outbuildings, and a small, walled, geometrical garden.

The palace acquired its present-day dimensions under the elector Max Emanuel (reigned 1680-1726). Supervised by the court architect Henrico Zuccalli, two off-set pavilions were built on each side of the existing structure, to the north and south. Begun in 1701, the pavilions were linked with the central edifice by galleries.

In 1715, the court architect Joseph Effner, together with the French landscape architect Dominique Girard, designed an overall plan for Nymphenburg, and the palace was extended according to this plan. The central pavilion was redesigned as the focal point of the ensemble, the royal apartments were furnished and decorated, the annexes were rebuilt as residences for court officials, and the crescent was constructed with a circular wall and five pairs of pavilions. The structures radiated out from the centre, fusing to form a completely symmetrical "ideal town" that could accommodate the royal household.

Features

The palace has a frontal width of 632 metres (north-south axis), surpassing Versailles. The interior was created by renowned artists such as François de Cuvilliés and Johann Baptist Zimmermann. The most famous highlight is the "Gallery of Beauties", featuring 38 portraits of Munich's society women, including Lola Montez, commissioned by King Ludwig I.

The palace also boasts a large collection of carriages, a porcelain manufactory, and a collection. The House of Wittelsbach still has the right of residence in the palace.

Park

The palace is combined with the adjacent Nymphenburg Palace Park, which constitutes one of the premier royal palaces of Europe. The park features a large waterfall, four pavilions (including the Amalienburg, a Rococo masterpiece), and a Grand Circle. The park was redesigned and extended after 1715 according to the plans of Dominique Girard and Joseph Effner, giving it its present dimensions and Baroque style. The park was later transformed into a landscape garden in the English style by Friedrich Ludwig Sckell in the early 19th century.

Hohenschwangau Castle

Bavaria, a German state, is home to numerous castles, some of which have a history of over 1,000 years. One of these castles is the 19th-century Hohenschwangau Castle, a palace in southern Germany.

History

The fortress Schwangau, which was first mentioned in historical records from the 12th century, stood on a rock where the 19th-century Neuschwanstein Castle is now located. The knights, later counts of Schwangau, were ministeriales of the Welfs.

The present-day Hohenschwangau Castle ("Upper Schwangau") was first mentioned in 1397, although under the name of Schwanstein. The names of the two castles were switched in the 19th century. It was built on a hill above Lake Alpsee, below the older fortress.

Architecture

From 1833 to 1837, Crown Prince Maximilian rebuilt the medieval Schwanstein Castle into the new Gothic-style Hohenschwangau Castle. The exterior appearance was inspired by the original medieval castle. The interior from the 19th century is still preserved, with each room of the royal apartments equipped with murals designed by Moritz von Schwind and Ludwig Lindenschmidt (the Elder). More than 90 wall paintings represent the history of Schwangau and medieval German romances such as Parzival and the story of Lohengrin, the Knight of the Swan, which later inspired Richard Wagner's operas.

Residents

After Ludwig's death in 1886, Queen Marie was the castle's only resident until her death in 1889. Her brother-in-law, Prince Regent Luitpold of Bavaria, lived on the third floor of the main building and was responsible for the electrification in 1905 and the installation of an electric elevator.

Visiting Hohenschwangau Castle

Nuremberg Castle

History

The castle was an important imperial castle, and all German kings and emperors stayed there, most of them on several occasions. The castle is made up of three sections: the Imperial castle (Kaiserburg), the former Burgraves' castle (Burggrafenburg), and the buildings erected by the Imperial City at the eastern site (Reichsstädtische Bauten).

The first fortified buildings were erected around the year 1000, with three major construction periods following:

• The castle built under the Salian kings, or Holy Roman Emperors (1027-1125)
• A new castle built under the Hohenstaufen emperors (1138-1254)
• Reconstruction of the Palas, as well as various modifications and additions in the late medieval centuries

The castle lost its importance after the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648). In the 19th century, with the general interest in the medieval period, some modifications were made. During the Nazi period, in preparation for the 1936 Nuremberg party rally, it was "returned to its original state." However, during World War II and its air raids in 1944-1945, a large part of the castle was destroyed. It took about thirty years to complete the rebuilding and restoration to its present state.

Features

The Sinwell Tower, built in the second half of the 13th century, was the major keep of the Castle. It is named after its cylindrical form, as "sinwell" means perfectly round in Middle High German. The Deep Well (Tiefer Brunnen) inside a small half-timbered house in the middle of the courtyard is likely as old as the castle itself, as it was the castle's only source of water. The shaft reaches a water depth of 50 meters (164 feet), and the water is usually 3 meters (10 feet) deep.

The Inner Gate (Inneres Tor) leads to the Inner Courtyard (Innerer Burghof), surrounded by the Palas, the Imperial Chapel, and the Kemenate. In the courtyard, remains of foundations from the Salian Period can be seen, along with the Kunigunde Lime Tree planted in 1984, replacing older trees first mentioned in 1455.

The Palas, the main building of the Imperial Castle, has two floors used for official functions and as the Emperors' residence. It now houses the permanent exhibition "Emperor – Empire – City. The Imperial Castle in Nuremberg".

The Imperial Chapel (Kaiserkapelle) is the most important building on the castle rock from an architectural standpoint. It is a Romanesque double chapel consisting of two chapels, one above the other, connected only through an opening in the ceiling, representing the hierarchical levels in medieval society.

The Heathens' Tower (Heidenturm) stands next to the Imperial Chapel and was built at the same time. When the Castle was restored for Emperor Charles V's visit, heathen idols and pictures on the tower were removed, giving it its name in colloquial parlance.

The Kemenate (Ladies' Building) was originally built during the Hohenstaufen period but was later replaced by a large four-storeyed building. It now houses the ticket office, a small museum shop, and a multimedia show about the building's history.

Burghausen Castle

Bavaria is home to numerous castles, some of which have a history of over 1,000 years. One of these is Burghausen Castle, which is located in Burghausen, Upper Bavaria. It is the longest castle complex in the world at 1,051 metres in length, as confirmed by the Guinness World Record company.

The castle hill was settled as early as the Bronze Age, and the castle itself was founded before 1025. In 1168, after the death of the last count of Burghausen, Gebhard II, the castle was transferred to the Wittelsbachs. In 1180, they were appointed dukes of Bavaria, and the castle was extended under Duke Otto I of Wittelsbach.

With the first partition of Bavaria in 1255, Burghausen Castle became the second residence of the dukes of Lower Bavaria, whose main residence was in Landshut. The work on the main castle commenced in the same year under Duke Henry XIII and was completed under Duke Georg of Bavaria in 1503. During this period, the castle served as a court for the duchesses and the home of their children, as well as the residential seat of the ducal heir and his wife, and of widows from the ruling family. It was also used to store the gold and silver of the Rich Dukes of Bavaria-Landshut.

The most famous resident of Burghausen Castle was the Polish princess Hedwig, whose marriage to Duke Georg der Reiche (Georg the Rich) is celebrated every four years with a famous medieval pageant known as the Landshut Wedding.

The castle is a massive stronghold and an excellent example of late medieval fortifications. It comprises the main castle, which includes the inner courtyard and five outer courtyards. The outermost point of the main castle is the Palas, which housed the ducal private rooms and now contains the castle museum, featuring late Gothic paintings of the Bavarian State Picture Collection. The gothic inner Chapel of St. Elizabeth (1255) and the Dürnitz (knights' hall) are located next to the donjon. Opposite the Dürnitz are the wings of the Duchess' residence.

The first outer courtyard included the stables, the brewery, and the bakery, while the second courtyard houses the large Arsenal building (1420) and the gunsmith's tower, protected by the Saint George's Gate (1494). The third courtyard contains the Grain Tower and the Grain Measure Tower, used for stabling and storing animal food. The main sight of the fourth courtyard is the late Gothic outer Chapel of St. Hedwig (1479-1489). The fifth courtyard was where the court officials and craftsmen worked and lived and was once protected by a strong fortification.

In addition to its historical and architectural significance, Burghausen Castle also offers a wonderful museum experience. The state collections include furniture, weaponry, and art from the fort's heyday. The House of Photography is a highlight, with over 300 exhibits across 15 rooms, including a camera that was taken on the first manned flight into space. The viewing platform on the roof provides a panoramic view of the entire castle grounds and the surrounding landscape.

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