#127 Schloß Neuschwanstein
Allgäu, Bavaria, Germany
1869-1890
This is NOT an official Lego site

Schloß Neuschwanstein is not my usual sort of project, since I tend to stay away from palaces and cannon forts, and Neuschwanstein is certainly a palace. However, she is by most accounts the most famous and one of the most beautiful buildings of its kind in the world! Neuschwanstein was built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria. Ludwig ascended to the throne of Bavaria at the age of 18 - ill-prepared to lead his nation. While he did not shirk his duties, he hated war and the fawning attention of politicians. He was always drawn back to the forests and mountains near Hohenschwangau where he grew up.
This mountainous area featured an important trade route from Augsburg through the Tyrol into Italy, originally called the Via Claudia in Roman times. The Bavarians had long ago built a cluster of four citadels to guard this trade route: Schwanstein at the northeast end of the Alpsee, Frauenstein [which no longer exists] to the southwest, and a pair of forts, Vorder- and Hinter-Hohenschwangau, on a ridge at the east edge of the valley. King Maximillian II, Ludwig's father, had completely rebuilt Schwanstein from 1832-38, renaming her Schloß Hohenschwangau, and this is where Ludwig grew up. The two castles on the ridge were very ruinous [see below]. In 1869, 5 years after becoming king, Ludwig had the top of the ridge blown up, lowering it about 25 feet and constructed a road up to the top of the flattened ridge.
Thus began the construction of Schloß Neuschwanstein, which the young king originally named "Neue Burg Hohenschwangau", which was to continue until Ludwig II's untimely death in 1886. The gatehouse block was constructed between 1869 and 1873, and there Ludwig resided until the King's Apartments on the 3rd floor of the "Palas" were ready in 1884. The construction of Neuschwanstein was just one of King Ludwig's extravagances and soon the King was borrowing money to continue the work. His mysterious death in June 1886 ended much of the work at Neuschwanstein, with the huge donjon and Moorish Hall never built, and the Knights' Building never finished. A modified "Kemenate" on the south side of the upper courtyard was built in 1890. Neuschwanstein was opened to the public just 6 weeks after the Bavarian king's death and "Ludwig's Folly" soon became a huge tourist attraction, currently attracting more than 6,000 visitors a day during the summer months. I can only hope my model does it justice.
King Ludwig II
of Bavaria		 An etching from 1850
showing the ruins of the two
castles on the ridge.		 The upper courtyard with the
entrance to the Palas, Knights'
Building on the right, and
"Kemenate" on the left.		 King Ludwig's throne room
 The King's bedroom
Original Plan of Schloß Neuschwanstein including
the plan of the huge, unbuilt Keep
First Floor Plan of Neuschwanstein
with Gatehouse Building (1) and foundation of unbuilt Keep (4)		 Third Floor Plan of the castle with
Throneroom (11) and King's Bedroom (14)		 Fourth Floor Plan of the castle
with Singer's Hall (22)

 

Photos of the Lego Model under construction
To be built January - May, 2010 for BrickWorld 2010 in Wheeling, IL in June 2010
Construction begins on January
3 with the top of the tallest tower		 On January 14, the castle is laid out...
from the semicircular entrance ramp...		 All the way back to the end of the
famous Palas with Ludwig's throneroom.		 On January 17 work concentrates
on the entrance ramp.
By January 28 the ramp is
pretty much done.		 It's time to start thinking about the
famous gatehouse...		 and by later that morning a lot
of progress has been made.		 By January 30 construction
on the inner face of the
gatehouse has stalled...
On February 4 the walkway
from the Gatehouse to the
Watch Tower is taking shape.		 The stair from the Lower to
the Upper Courtyard is
complete...		 And the base of the unfinished
Donjon is is place.		 On February 14 I took a couple
of pictures from the Palas end of
the castle...
To show progress on the mountain
as I waiting for Lego to arrive so I
could continue on the gatehouse...		 On Feb. 19, just before Judy
and I leave for 16 days in
Florida, I updated the front...		 And back of the beautiful
gatehouse and lower bailey.		 The staircase up to the inner
courtyard is complete and the
passage to the Palas appears.
We're back from Florida, and
new Lego has arrived - and
the Gatehouse is done!		 I love this side as well - with
the balcony fit for King Ludwig
to watch construction.		 The two level passage from
the Watch Tower to the Palas
is coming along nicely.		 Time to get to work on the
Palas!!
By Mar 18 the mountain is
done and the Palas is
outlined		 Two days later the basement
is basically done...		 with the ground level balcony
supports shown here in detail.		 And from the Northwest.
Next pictures soon after
Easter.
On April 6 the first floors
of the Palas are complete...		 To where the split will be
(so the castle can travel to
Chicago for BrickWorld!)		 The main entrance to the
Palas is done...		 And work continues on the
Kemenate. built after Ludwig
was assassinated.
On April 20 the Kemenate
is ready for a roof.		 The perspective from
the othe side.		 On April 27 the Kemenate
is finished...		 And I'm off to a nice
medical & golf meeting
in Phoenix, AZ!
Here's the Kenenate
from the other side.		 Now on to the Knights Hall
it's finished except for the
stair tower...		 Pictures are now somewhat
fragmented as the castle is
in pieces so I can build better.		 The Palas is almost ready
to roof...
It just needs some
decorative touches!		 Here is the front of the
Palas as of May 20. I'm
using stickers rather than
colored plates so the murals
can be enjoyed!		 And we must not forget the
sculpture of Saint George on
the wall of the grand staircase.		 Construction begins on the
Palas roof with its intriging
chimneys.
On May 28 major work has
been on the east end of the
Palas		 At the end of May, the
east end is done, and
the stair tower 99%
complete...		 Here's the first look at
the north side of the Palas
 ...and the final work
on the west end.
On June 3 Judy and I
reassembled the castle.
It's 100 inches long.		 There's minor touchups to
be done on 2 turrets.
 Here's the famous view from the
south. I'll probably take final
pictures of the castle at
BrickWorld 2010 June 17-20.		 There the castle will be in
the Ravinia Ballroom at the
Westin North Shore in
Wheeling, IL

Note: For the pictures of the completed castle, click on this link.

Build Your Own

I've put several of the smaller elevations here so you'll have a flavor of the Lego plans. If some really
wants to build this castle from my plans, just let me know, but the other plans are too large to
scan and must be copied by Decatur Blue Print. They don a very nice job, but it costs money.
The front of the gatehouse The view of the inside of the gatehouse The front of the Palas,
with the unbuilt Keep door		 The back end of the Palas

 

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