Fussen - Two grand castles

Two grand castles are within a short distance of Fussen, Germany. The first is Schloss Hohenschwangau ("Castle of the High Swan Country") a remarkable place where King Ludwig the II spent the days of his youth. The location of Hohenschwangau was originally a fortress called Schwanstein that belonged to a family of knights. However, by the beginning of the 19th century, the fortress had been abandoned and had fallen into ruin. Crown Prince Maximilian discovered the location and was charmed by the landscape. He immediately commissioned the construction. The castle served as the family's summer residence and the future Kings Ludwig II and Otto I spent many years there as children. The castle did not suffer any damage during World War II so when you walk through its halls, you're walking along the same floors that Germanic nobility did over a hundred years earlier. Guided tours are available in many different languages. Hundreds of thousands of visitors come to Hohenschwangau each year, helping to maintain Fussen tourism.