European Traveler

  • HOME
  • Austria
  • France
  • Germany
  • Italy
    • Italy
    • Vatican City
  • Netherlands
  • Spain
  • Switzerland
    • Switzerland
    • Lake Geneva Region
    • Liechtenstein
  • Others
    • Belgium
    • Baltic States
    • Denmark
    • Luxembourg
    • Norway
    • Poland
    • Sweden
    • River Cruises
    • UK
  • Search 🔎

See Schloss Herrenchiemsee Castle in Bavaria

May 12, 2023 by Henk Bekker in Bavaria, Germany, Royal Castles

Versailles-like Schloss Herrenchiemsee Castle on Herren Island in the Chiemsee Lake near Munich in Germany is an opulent fantasy palace built by Bavarian King Ludwig II.

See Schloss Herrenchiemsee Castle near Munich in Bavaira
Photo Guido Radig / Wikimedia Commons

Mad, or Fairy Tale, King Ludwig II of Bavaria, is famous for the three fantasy castles he erected in his kingdom during the nineteenth century. The most popular is the Disney-like, neo-Romanesque Schloss Neuschwanstein Castle, while the small Schloss Linderhof is the only palace he actually completed. However, the opulent Schloss Herrenchiemsee was intended to surpass all others. Herrenchiemsee was to be King Ludwig’s Versailles complete with a Hall of Mirrors longer than the original in France.

The Building of the Neues Schloss Herrenchiemsee

In 1873, Bavarian King Ludwig bought Herreninsel, the largest island in the Chiemsee Lake, with the explicit idea of erecting his new Versailles here. Georg Dollman mostly drew up the plans for a huge palace while Carl von Effner designed splendid Baroque gardens.

Construction started in 1878 but by the time of King Ludwig’s mysterious death in 1886, only twenty rooms were actually completed. These twenty rooms alone cost more than Ludwig’s other two follies – Schloss Neuschwanstein Castle and Schloss Linderhof Palace – combined.

GetYourGuide

Touring the Neues Schloss Herrenchiemsee Palace

The interior of the Neues Schloss (New Palace) Herrenchiemsee may only be seen on a guided tour. Highlights of the tour include the monumental staircase inspired by the Duke’s Palace in Venice and the Great Hall of Mirrors, which at 98 m (322 ft) is actually slightly longer than the original at Versailles.

King Ludwig was somewhat eccentric: he valued his privacy to the extent that he had his dining table hoisted — fully decked — from a floor below so he could eat without servants hovering about. His desire for privacy did not prevent the construction of a state bed chamber like the one the French Sun King Louis XIV had used for going to bed in a public ceremony. Although Ludwig was a tall man, the bed measuring 2.6 by 3 m (8.5 by 9.8 ft) in the state bed chamber is a bit massive.

It is easy to see why the building of this palace bankrupted the king – no surface was left ungilded or unadorned. The Meissen porcelain used in the construction of the elaborate candelabras was one-offs – the king insisted on all molds being broken to ensure that no copies could be made.

King Ludwig II Museum at Schloss Herrenchiemsee

The König Ludwig II.-Museum is in the south wing of Schloss Herrenchiemsee Palace. It is seen without a tour and a good place to wait for the commencement of the guided tour of the palace itself. (The palace café with outdoor terrace in summer is not a bad choice for lingering in either.)

The museum has numerous displays and furniture related to the life of King Ludwig II, his fantasies, opera sets, as well as his friendship with composer Richard Wagner. He is often referred to in English as “Mad King Ludwig” although in German his romantic notions made the title “Fairy Tale King” (Märchenkönig) more popular.

Note the displays related to the planned Burg Falkenstein Castle – it would have made even Schloss Neuschwanstein look unambitious.

Despite its island location, good transportation links and long opening hours make Schloss Herrenchiemsee Palace easy to visit on day trips from Munich (MĂĽnchen), Berchtesgaden, and Salzburg. Tickets are mostly sold on-site but a limited number of tickets are also offered online. Day-trip excursion tours are also available from Munich.

GetYourGuide

More on King Ludwig’s Castles and Palaces

The three fantasy castles of King Ludwig are all near Munich and are popular day trips whether on bus tours, driving, or using public transportation. Schloss Neuschwanstein and Schloss Linderhof are to the southwest and may be seen on the same day when driving or on tours. Schloss Herrencheimsee is to the southeast and also a good stopover en route to Salzburg.

Savings Deals in Bavaria:

  • Visit Mad King Ludwig’s Fantasy Castles Near Munich in Germany
  • Save on Top Sightseeing Site Tickets in Bavaria, Germany
  • Save with the Bayern Ticket on Public Transportation — Buy the Bayern Ticket Online from Deutsche Bahn, or consider the €49 Deutschland-Ticket.
  • Book Day-Trip Tours from Munich

Schloss Neuschwanstein and Schloss Hohenschwangau:

  • Buy Tickets for Schloss Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau Castles
  • Transportation to Schloss Neuschwanstein
  • See Romantic Disney-Like Schloss Neuschwanstein Castle
  • Visit Schloss Hohenschwangau in Bavaria, Germany
  • Top Sightseeing Sites in FĂĽssen and Schwangau
  • Book Day-Trip Tours from Munich to Schloss Neuschwanstein

Schloss Linderhof:

  • See Schloss and Park Linderhof in Bavaria, Germany
  • Visiting Schloss Linderhof: Opening Hours, Tickets, and Transportation
  • Book Day-Trip Tours from Munich to Linderhof

Schloss Herrenchiemsee:

  • Visit Schloss Herrenchiemsee Castle near Munich
  • See Schloss Herrenchiemsee Castle in Bavaria
  • Transportation to Schloss Herrenchiemsee Castle
  • Book Day-Trip Tours from Munich to Herrenchiemsee
GetYourGuide

Filed Under: Bavaria, Germany, Royal Castles Tagged With: 2023M5, Castle, Chiemgau, cov19, Day Trip from Munich, Day-Trip from Salzburg, German Castles, Herrenchiemsee, J1, J2023, King Ludwig, Mad King Ludwig, Museum, P21, Palace, Schloss Herrenchiemsee, Top Sights in Bavaria

« Transportation to Schloss Herrenchiemsee Castle
Cheap Public Transportation to Schloss Neuschwanstein Castle »
Home » Germany » See Schloss Herrenchiemsee Castle in Bavaria

Recent Posts

  • 2024 Berlin: Contemporary Art Exhibitions in Hamburger Bahnhof Gallery
  • Visit the Capitoline Museums in Rome (Musei Capitolini)
  • Visit Top Christmas Markets (Weihnachtsmarkt) in Vienna (Wien)
  • Art Highlights to See in the Borghese Gallery in Rome
  • See Top Bernini Sculptures in the Villa Borghese Gallery in Rome
  • Visit the Villa Borghese Gallery in Rome: Buy the Cheapest Tickets and Tours
  • UNESCO-Listed Heritage Sites in Germany
  • Buying Tickets to See the Last Supper by Leonardo Da Vinci in Milan

Book Tours at Get Your Guide

Germany

  • Germany
  • Baden-WĂĽrttemberg
    • Baden-Baden
    • Heidelberg
    • Stuttgart
    • Tauber Valley
  • Bavaria
    • Bavarian Alps
    • Franken / Franconia
    • Munich
    • Oberpfalz / Upper Palatinate
    • Regensburg
    • Romantic Road
    • Royal Castles
  • Berlin
  • Cheap Flights
  • Frankfurt
  • Lower Saxony
    • Hildesheim
    • Hannover
    • Wolfsburg
  • Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
  • North Rhine-Westphalia NRW
    • Aachen
    • Cologne / Köln
    • DĂĽsseldorf
  • Northern Germany
    • Baltic Coast
    • Bremen
    • Hamburg
    • LĂĽbeck
  • Rhine River
  • Saxony
    • Dresden
    • MeiĂźen
  • Saxony-Anhalt
  • Trains

Bavaria Ticket

Save on public transportations (trains, buses, trams) when traveling in Bavaria by using the Bayern Ticket:



Buy the Bayern Ticket online and start using it from the moment of arrival in Bavaria without having to struggle with vending machines.

Great care is taken in writing these articles but no responsibility is taken for errors or omissions. Contact service providers directly before making any arrangements. This site is not responsible for the content of linked external sites.

Copyright © 2023 - 2008 - Impressum - Terms of Service - Privacy Policy - Cookie Policy - Data Protection - About