Hohenschwangau Castle

Hohenschwangau Castle is a Gothic Revival building in Schwangau that sits at 844 meters elevation above lakes Alpsee and Schwansee. The yellow stone facade shows decorated towers and multiple levels overlooking the Bavarian landscape.

King Maximilian II of Bavaria commissioned architect Domenico Quaglio in 1837 to rebuild the medieval fortress. The work transformed the ruin into a royal summer residence.

The interior walls display more than 90 paintings showing scenes from medieval German legends and local Schwangau history. Visitors see these artworks while walking through the different rooms and halls.

Visitors must reserve places in advance for the guided tour through the interior rooms. The castle remains open throughout the year except on December 24, 25, 31, and January 1.

Queen Marie of Prussia created an alpine garden on the castle grounds and collected native plants from the surrounding Bavarian mountains for it. This botanical area shows the connection between the court and local nature.

Location: Schwangau

Inception: 1837

Architects: Domenico Quaglio the Younger

Architectural style: Gothic Revival

Elevation above the sea: 844 m

Address: Alpseestraße 30, 87645 Hohenschwangau

Website: http://hohenschwangau.de

GPS coordinates: 47.55583,10.73639

Latest update: December 12, 2025 18:06