Hohenschwangau Castle Castle

Address: Hohenschwangau 1, 87645 Schwangau, Bavaria, Germany

Website: https://www.hohenschwangau.de/

Hours: Castle typically open Apr-Oct 9am-6pm; Nov-Mar 10am-4pm (check official schedules seasonally)

Admission: Adult admission varies (approx €12-€15 for Neuschwanstein/Hohenschwangau combined tickets in some packages); tickets usually sold for timed-entry guided tours

Hohenschwangau Castle is a 19th-century historic house near Schwangau in Bavaria, rebuilt on medieval ruins and best known as the childhood residence of King Ludwig II of Bavaria. The castle presents rooms decorated in a romantic historicist style and stands in a lakeside alpine setting.

Interiors include richly painted salons and audience rooms with scenes from Germanic legend and Bavarian history, while the castle grounds provide terraces and viewpoints over the nearby Alpsee. Many visitors combine a visit with a trip to nearby Neuschwanstein Castle.

The present structure was reconstructed in the early 1800s by Crown Prince Maximilian and later served as a royal residence for the Bavarian court. Its later association with Ludwig II links it directly to the period of 19th-century Bavarian monarchy and tourism.

Located in the Schwangau municipality near the town of Füssen in southwest Bavaria, the castle sits at the edge of alpine lakes and forests close to the Germany-Austria alpine region.

• 19th-century rebuilding and Ludwig II connection: The castle was rebuilt in the early 19th century by Crown Prince Maximilian (later King Maximilian II of Bavaria) and became the childhood home of King Ludwig II.
• Paired visits with Neuschwanstein: Often visited together with nearby Neuschwanstein Castle, the site is in a heavily visited alpine lakeside area and expects large numbers of day visitors.

What to See#

• Interior state rooms: Interior state rooms - a sequence of decorated rooms including the dining and audience rooms featuring 19th-century romantic historicist decoration.
• Grounds and viewpoints: Castle grounds and view points - landscaped terraces and viewpoints over the Alpsee and surrounding foothills, often combined with walks to nearby Neuschwanstein.

The castles are in Schwangau, near Füssen in Bavaria. Nearest major rail hub is Füssen (bus or taxi 10-15 minutes). From Munich, regional trains to Füssen take about 2 hours; buses and shuttle services connect Füssen with Hohenschwangau village. The official ticket center is in Hohenschwangau village; timed tickets are recommended and often required.

• Buy combined timed tickets for Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein early in the day from the Hohenschwangau ticket center in the village.
• Walk the 30-40 minutes from the ticket center to Hohenschwangau Castle for better views and to avoid the bus queue; the path is uphill but scenic.
• If visiting both castles, reserve a full day-crowds and transport between sites take time.