Herrenchiemsee castle is the only one from Ludwig’s castles, which I sincerely like to visit especially on sunny days. The mirror room, the colors and the concept of light reach the proper presentation under proper light.
Herrenchiemsee
Ludwig attempted to recreate the Palace of Versailles; the neo-baroque palace presents itself as King Ludwig’s admiration for King Louis XIV of France. By the way, the same ideal led him to the construction of Castle Linderhof.
In 1878, the construction of Herrenchiemsee begun on a floating island within Germany’s largest lake. It was to be the largest and the last of Ludwig’s architectural projects, as construction halted upon the King‘s death in 1886. He left it with only the central portion of the palace completed.
Only 20 of the 70 planned rooms are complete. Herrenchiemsee had been planned to be as grand, if not grander than the original Palace of Versailles, with its great hall of mirrors, hall of war and hall of peace.
The dining room features a table elevator and the world’s largest Meissen porcelain chandelier.
The new palace would also benefit from nearly two centuries of technological progress.
The original Palace of Versailles lacked water, bathroom facilities, and central heating, while Herrenchiemsee included all of these. The cost of Herrenchiemsee was more than the cost of Linderhof and Neuschwanstein together and almost brought the royal family to bankruptcy. Despite this, the new palace of Herrenchiemsee always remained in the shadow of the grandeur of the Neuschwanstein Castle and its fairy-tale like the design.
Ludwig’s Castles rules
Ludwig’s castles are not a fun park. They are history and here some rules for a better experience:
- No pictures inside the castle. Sincerely, the rooms are so dark, that doesn’t make any sense to break this rule and the postcards offered in the castle’s shop are far prettier than any picture you may do. And the Hall of Mirrors is too big for simple cameras.
- Back-packs may cause accidents. If you want, you may use free of charges, the lockers nearby.
- Don’t throw garbage inside the castle. Bavarians are proud of the King and his heritage. If you Please respect the local traditions.
- Tickets are difficult to book. Better you ask for an agent or tour guide.
Visiting Herrenchiemsee
