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Linderhoff Palace
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Germany |
Out first stop was a the Linderhof Palace, built by King Ludwig II. In 1867 Ludwig visited France and the Versailles Palace and he fell in love with it and decided to build a Royal Villa keeping with the Versailles theme even though it was more of a "homely version" in Linderhof instead of a grand palace. He was already constructing Neuschwanstein and incredibly Linderhof was the only one that he lived to see finished. Since it is winter the royal gardens were closed and all of the brass and statues were covered with wood to protect them from the cold. However not having to wait in long lines made it all worth it. Someday we will come back and see the gardens and the grotto. It is rumored that this was the kings favorite castle and he spent most of his time here. It has also been rumored to be the love shack for the king, this is where he met his female companions.
As you enter the palace you come to a vestibule that had a gold sunburst ceiling art work with the motto "NEC PLURIBUS IMPAR" (none his equal) King Ludwig believed in absolute rein and sled proclaimed himself as sole ruler of Bavarian. There is a great bronze horse statue that is a miniature copy of Louis XIV of France. Ludwig was fascinated by the french. Though out the castle there are 5 kings rooms and 4 servants waiting rooms, these waiting rooms are literally where the servants waited for the instructions from the king. No matter which room the king was in there were servants right next door waiting. The servants waiting rooms are called cabinet rooms and labeled by the color. There is the yellow cabinet that is decorated in yellow silk and silver thread, the Ceiling is typical french style and based on the four elements and and the zodiac signs. This room is between he tapestry room and the audience room where the king received guests. Even though there is an east and west tapestry room there are actually no tapestries in the castle. In fact throughout the castle instead of tapestries there are large painted murals. These paintings are on coarse canvas and actually look like tapestries.
The audience room is where King Ludwig II could be visually represented. In this room houses the Bavaria coat of arms, the kings desk and the ceilings brandish stucco work depicting symbols of war, piece, music and painting and . Also in this room there are gilt emblems in the wall paneling depicting "Science and Art"; "Trade and Industry", "Secular sovereignty" and "Ecclesiastical sovereignty" Over the doors represented the four seasons. It was a very regal room, showing the kings glorification, for royal rule over all. The servant room on the other side is the lilac room that housed elaborated portraits of Marie Anne of Chateauroux, King Louis XV of France, Marquise de Pompadour and the Duke Etiennne Fracoise. There were also cartouches of the gods, Jupiter, Flora, Mars and Apollo.
Off this room came the largest room in the castle the kings bedroom. This bedroom was an impressive site with a bed alcove with amazing embroidery of the royal coat of arms with gold gilt sculpture and royal blue velvet curtains. The pink room the former dressing room of the king is set in white paneling mirrors and covered in pink silk.
The dining room is where the royal table sits, on the wall panels are carvings of products that would be served on the table, horticulture, hunting, fishing, and agriculture. The table sits in the room and it is on a pulley system. When the king is ready for dinner, the servants would lower the table to the kitchen, place the dinner and all the plates, etc on the table and raise it back up to the dinning room. This what the king could dine without being disturbed by servants. It is also rumored that the king used to set several place settings on the table to entertain his guests, the dead kings of France. He was refereed to as the Mad King. The blue cabinet is a bother servant waiting room leading to the Hall of Mirrors.
The hall of mirrors is a room that were large walled mirrors set into set into white and gold paneling give the illusion of an endless suite of rooms. The paintings over the doors shows scenic french court life in the age of Absolutism. On the ceiling is the birth of Venus is depicted.
The entire guided tour took about 45 minutes and was well worth it. Castles Travel Jennifer Place Stay in Europe Germany December 2007 - January 2008 Date taken: 2008 08 04 15:14 Monday Important Links:
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