Neuschwanstein, Schloss

The castle of Neuschwanstein is located near Schwangau in the Bavarian Alps. An opulent, fanciful castle constructed under Louis II of Bavaria (also known as Mad King Ludwig) in the late 19th century and left unfinished, Neuschwanstein was tremendously expensive and contributed to the growing opposition to the king on the part of government officials. Several years after its construction, Ludwig was declared insane and dethroned. He later drowned in Lake Starnberg.