Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Herrenchiemsee Castle, Germany

I'm continuing my story about our trip to Germany. After Slovenia, we passed through Austria and entered Germany on our way to the first of the Bavarian castles - the Herrenchiemsee castle on the lake Chiemsee - the Bavarian sea. Soon after crossing into Germany we had a nail-biting hour and a half in a traffic jam - but all's well that ends well - we managed to catch the boat that ferries to the Chiemsee islands in time to see the castle before its closing hours:




The grounds of the unfinished castle of king Ludwig II:

One of the transportation means from the port to the castle - by horse cart:

The castle, designed in Neo-Baroque style, was built to imitate the Palace of Versailles:




Because taking photos in the castle is forbidden, I've included a few photos taken from the postcards we bought in the castle.

The staircase - marble and artificial marble, which was even more expensive

First ante-chamber with pomp cupboard

State bedroom, richly guilded furniture, stocco and draperies. The bed was never used:

Conference hall, portrait of Lui IV of France.
Ludwig II was fascinated with the Bourbon dynasty:

Gallery of mirrors - 2200 candles on 33 lustres and 44 candelabras

Bedroom in French rococo style

Dining room with the magic table - a mechanism lowered the table downstairs, 
where it was set for dinner, and then brought up to the king.
The chandelier and the bouquet on the table are made of finest Meissen porcelain:

The study with four clocks

The Dresden porcelain room

The bath - more like a private heated swimming pool. The castle was very advanced
technologically and had central heating

Small hall with mirrors

And after all that mind-blowing luster and exquisiteness - back to the castle gardens:


Ludwig II was so impatient to see the gardens finished, that before these pine-cone shaped trees had time to grow he ordered canvases with drawings of the trees to be placed along the central alley:

And on the boat across the Chiemsee to Prien


There is even a small railroad, which runs from the town of Prien to the port:

2 comments:

  1. That is a majestic castle. It's very ornate inside, like the Baroque period.

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  2. So beautiful! I'd meant to visit Chiemsee and this castle last year when I visited my aunt (she lives in the area) but didn't make it. Now I wish I had!

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