| In the family of regions that makes up
Germany, Bavaria is the member that is most unique. The differences
that distinguish this scenic state from its siblings are defined in
customs, culture and landscape. It’s the part of the country that
fulfills a mental picture shaped by images of cuckoo clocks, alpine
villages, forest-covered mountains, oomph bands, beer gardens and men
dressed in lederhosen. It’s a land of romantic castles, medieval towns
gingerbread-type houses, woodcarvers’ shops and mountain lakes. Indeed,
Bavaria is like a place lifted straight from the pages of a story book.
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Open
for tours year round, Neuschwanstein Castle is set high on a rock ledge
and is the model for Disney’s castle in The Magic Kingdom
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In fact, the
late Walt Disney recognized the fairy-tale quality of the region when
he elected to adopt Neuschwanstein - one of Bavaria’s most famous
castles--as the pattern for Cinderella’s castle that has become
the centrepiece of all Disney theme parks. However, unlike
Disney’s magical world of make-believe, Bavaria is the real deal.
For centuries it was one of the great duchies of the Holy Roman Empire
and today it is Germany’s largest province (70,000 sq. km) lying
in the southernmost part of the country running north from the Austrian
border.
I have toured Bavaria by car and while the entire region is utterly
enchanting, overall it was its castles and palaces that left the most
lasting impression. In fact the region is dotted with scores of these
marvellous centuries-old structures that often feature tall spires,
turrets, towers and luxurious interiors where the tales of the people
who once occupied them are as captivating as the buildings themselves.
Most famous castle builder of all was Bavarian King Ludwig II,
generally referred to as “the mad monarch“ whose
eccentricity bordered on insanity. Taking the throne at the tender age
of 18, King Ludwig immediately suffered two emotional blows. His kingly
powers were reduced to figurehead status and to compound matters he
experienced an unrequited love. Eventually the handsome young monarch
retreated to a life of dreaming and imaginary things, becoming more
peculiar by the day. Disenchanted and despondent, he turned to the one
thing that made him happy: building castles.
| One of his first projects was the
building of Schloss Linderhof which is, in fact, a smaller version of
the magnificent French palace at Versailles. Today, the castle is open
to the public and tours of the palace reveal a statement to elegant
excess: gilded mirrors, marble staircases, frescoed ceilings and
priceless paintings. Two features of Linderhof underscore the king’s
delicate sanity. To satisfy his ever escalating passion for privacy,
Ludwig’s dining room table was built to be lowered through a door in
the floor to a cooking chamber below. When it was set with food the
table was hoisted to its original position without the reclusive king
ever having to see either servants or cooks. |
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The coup de grace
of the mad monarch’s eccentricity was the magical grotto he ordered
constructed on the grounds behind the castle. This mammoth, man-made
cave of artificial rock, complete with stalactites and stalagmites,
plus an underground lake, was Ludwig‘s favourite place to escape from
reality. Here, he often spent his days rowing around his fake lake in a
shell-shaped boat listening to Wagner’s opera music as it echoed off
the walls of his cave. Visitors can tour the castle, the grotto and the
palace grounds that are punctuated by immense fountains, Baroque
statuary and marvellous gardens.
Ludwig’s eccentricities were
less blatantly visible in another of his opulent castles,
Neuschwanstein - the splendid edifice that inspired Walt Disney. A few
miles from Linderhof, Neuschwanstein is set high on a rock ledge above
a craggy gorge. This wildly romantic stone structure rises from a dense
forest and its lofty towers and spires are wrapped in wisps of clouds
and mist.
| Year round tours of this storybook-style castle reveal
elaborately decorated parlours, a Byzantine-type throne room, a music
hall with marble columns, huge Bohemian glass chandeliers and frescoed
walls and ceilings. To give some notion of the workmanship invested in
Neuschwanstein, it took four-and-a-half years to complete the king’s
bedroom alone. |
Schloss Linderhof, a smaller version of the magnificent French palace at Versailles is open to the public
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The reputation achieved by Neuschwanstein and Linderhof
castles can be measured by the hundreds of thousands of people who tour
them annually.
Although Bavaria is steeped in history and
legends like the fairy-tale king, it is a modern-day place supporting a
host of activities: unlimited rock climbing, hiking, biking, golf,
sailing and a host of health spas. Moreover, the further a visitor
delves into the scenic Bavarian countryside, the more fascinating it
becomes. Notwithstanding the castles, there are pleasures around every
corner like the picturesque village of Oberammergau where Bavarian
woodcarvers perpetuate a time-honoured tradition. Situated just a few
miles from the Austrian border, this town is the best place to buy
authentic Bavarian woodcarvings.
Of course one of the main
sources of pleasure throughout Germany, including Bavaria, is its
famous beer halls and beer gardens with the annual highlight being
Octoberfest. Lasting for 16 days and running this year Sept. 22-Oct. 7,
the tradition began in 1810 to honour the marriage of Bavarian King
Ludwig I, father of the mad monarch. Although the biggest Octoberfest
celebrations are held in Munich (the region’s capital), the biggest
beer party on the planet is also widely celebrated throughout Bavaria.
TRAVEL PLANNER
See www.ComeToGermany.com for online information or call 1-877-315-6237. The email Canadian consumer address is GermanyInfo@d-z-t.com.
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