Castle Of A King

Linderhof Palace is full of the spirit of medieval times. It is situated in the town of Ettal in Southern Bavaria and was built as a castle for King Ludwig II. This is the smallest of three castles built by the King and it is the only that he saw completed. Finished in 1886, the castle design was inspired by the Palace of Versailles.

The King’s Favourite Palace

King Ludwig was fascinated by trees and the gardens at the palace were designed to be formal but he insisted on leaving an old Linden tree in place which disturbs the symmetry of the design. However, Ludwig loved it and used to sit under it when he ate his breakfast. The formal gardens have many beautiful structures including the Neptune fountain, a small chapel and a small temple of Venus.

The Landscaped gardens At Linderhof

Covering about 50 hectares the gardens are extensive and there is a series of terraces built into the design with water basins and endless nymphs for decoration. A water cascade runs down one of the hills and ends up in the Fountain of Neptune.

Elements of the Renaissance are evident as is the influence of the Baroque style of buildings with some areas of the garden resembling an English garden. If you are visiting the beautiful Linderhof Palace there are some notable buildings to look out for in the gardens.

Buildings In The Garden At Linderhof Palace

Hunding’s Hut was inspired by a section of Wagner’s Valkyrie and the King used to celebrate feasts in the hut. The Gurnemanz Hermitage was where Ludwig came for contemplation on Good Friday each year. If there were no flowers out because the winter stayed late he made the gardeners plant some.

The Moorish Kiosk was purchased by the King when the railway millionaire Strousbeerg went bankrupt. He had wanted it earlier but was beaten by this entrepreneur. This Moorish building has a peacock throne. The Moroccan House was designed and built for the International Exhibition in Vienna and when the king had bought it he had it refurbished in a more royal tone.

A visit to Linderfhof Palace gives you a wonderful insight into how King Ludwig and his entourage lived and you will marvel at the stunning architecture and furnishings of this fabulous Bavarian palace.

Travelling To Linderhof Palace

By Air

Linderhof Palace is close to the border with Leichtenstein but the nearest German airport is Munich which is 133.1 kilometres away. However, public transport in Germany is excellent so you can travel to the palace from the airport by bus, train or car.

By Train

Take a train from the airport to the main station in Munich (München Hbf) then change to a train for Oberau Bahnhof. The remainder of the journey will be by bus. Take the 9606 bus to Klostergasthof. Change to the 9622 bus to Linderhof Schloß, Ettal.

By Road

Use the A9 motorway until exit 76 then take the A95 motorway, B2R and follow signs for the Lindau/Dachau/B304/A95/A96. Continue on BR2 then B2, B23 and St2060 to your destination in Ettal. Parking spaces are available at the castle.

Other Things To Do Near Linderhof Castle

See The Cheese Factory At Ettal

There is a guided tour of the Ettal Cheese Factory which is very interesting. After the tour you will be invited to a delicious tasting session to try out the different kinds of cheeses that are made every day from over 3,000 lites of milk.

Sightseeing In the Region

The monasteries at Ettal and Oberammergau are worth visiting. The Oberammergau monastery is the setting for the famous passion play that is put on every 10 years. Villagers take the parts of the biblical characters and everyone is involved in the play which is often broadcast all over the world.

If you enjoy visiting castles, have a look at other fairy tale destinations in Germany!