Linderhof Castle - The Favorite Palace
of King Ludwig II of Barvaria

View of King Ludwig II's favorite castle, Linderhof We spent an afternoon visiting one of Mad King Ludwig's famous palaces, Linderhof Castle.

It is the smallest of King Ludwig’s castles, but it was his favorite and the only one completed before he died in Lake Starnberg in 1886.

Built between 1870 and 1879 on the spectacular grounds of his father’s hunting lodge, Schloss Linderhof is set in the Graswang Valley on a hillside with 75 acres of magnificent landscaped gardens and a terraced park under towering peaks of the Bavarian Alps.

Touring the castle and wandering around the grounds, I can see why Linderhof Castle was his favorite. It must have been like living in a fantasy world.

The castle is very ornate with many whimsical details, both inside and out. There are many references to mythology and legends, as well as to his idols, King Louis XIV and Richard Wagner.

King Ludwig II loved the sound of falling water. He loved to watch the cascade of water tumbling down the mountainside to the Neptune Fountain. The fountain and waterfall – both designed by the king – are just part of the incredible setting of Linderhof.

This video shows some of the beautiful gardens
and fountains around Schloss Linderhof.

Other Things I Love About Linderhof Castle

The Venus Grotto - a huge artificial stalactite cave. Ludwig had scenes from Wagner operas performed there, complete with underwater lighting effects. The grotto has an artificial lake in which he loved to float around in a conch shaped boat.
The Geyser-like fountain in front of the palace. It spouts a jet of water 100 feet in to the air twice every hour.
The Moorish Pavillion or Kiosk where he smoked hookas and hosted, exotic and sometimes scandalous late night parties.
The Royal Bedroom is the largest and richest room in the castle. The ornate Rococo design features a huge 1,000 pound crystal chandelier and an enormous bed.
In the Dining Room - the table rises and lowers through the floor from the kitchen below. This is another example of King Ludwig’s quest for privacy and new inventions.
Hall of Mirrors - The mirrors covering the walls would create incredible lighting effects at night from the candles when Ludwig would spend all night reading in the room.

Schloss Linderhof makes a fun side trip. It is very pretty in winter, but I do prefer to visit it in the late spring, summer or early fall.

That is when the gardens are in full bloom, the fountains are flowing and the Grotto and Moorish Pavillion are open.

Getting There

Schloss Linderhof is about 6 miles (10 km) southwest of Oberammergau, about 15 miles from Garmisch Partenkirchen and 59 miles from Munich. There is plenty of parking and is also accessible by public bus.