Füssen, Romantic Road, Challenge Completed!

Before arriving in Füssen, a slight detour leads up to King Ludwig II’s fairy tale and most famous Castle Neuschwanstein. It inspired Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle, appeared in the 1968 family film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and has graced countless postcards and calendars, becoming a symbol of romance and fantasy.

Ludwig II became king at the young age of 18 when his father suddenly died in 1864. An eccentric daydreamer, Ludwig preferred art, theatre and seclusion over governing, public appearances and social functions. Although much loved by the citizens of Bavaria, he was disliked by the nobility for his neglectful approach to the kingdom’s affairs.

When Prussia conquered Bavaria, Ludwig lost the kingdom and the rights that went with it. Bavaria became annexed to Prussia. Despondent at this turn of events, Ludwig retreated further from his responsibilities and sought refuge in his own dreamworld from which Neuschwanstein was born.

Pouring his energy into creating a retreat where he could retire from public life, Ludwig began construction on the castle in 1869 after inheriting considerable funds following his grandfather’s death. Ludwig was very keen on a medieval design that reflected the old German knights’ castles. He exerted complete control over the architectural plans, requesting approval of every draft along the way. Built out of standard bricks and encased in rock, the castle façade was dressed in white limestone. In the upper courtyard, a painting of Saint George and the Dragon is visible on the exterior wall of the rectangular tower. The gatehouse with its red brick façade was the first to be completed and furnished, allowing Ludwig to move in and continue supervising the construction.

Ludwig never saw the castle finished, as he died under unusual circumstances. It is theorised that instead of drowning as initially reported, he may have been murdered by his enemies. At the time of his death, the rectangular tower was still under construction. Had the castle been finished, it would have had 200-plus interior rooms, rather than the 15 that were completed. The total floor space the castle occupies is 65,000sq ft (6,000sqm) over three levels. Seven weeks after his death, the castle was opened to the public. Today, the castle sees 1.5 million visitors per year, and during peak season, as many as 6,000 people per day. The town of Füssen marks the end of this journey. Located less than a mile (1km) from the Austrian border, Füssen is known for violin manufacturing. It is the highest lying town in Bavaria, sitting right on the edge of the Alps over the River Lech.

Up on a hill overlooking the town is Hohes Schloss (High Castle), a fortified castle that was once the summer residence of the prince-bishops of Augsburg, who were also Lords of Füssen. Today, it houses an art gallery exhibiting works from the late Gothic and Baroque periods. Spectacular rural views can be seen from the top of the clock tower.

Below the castle is the 9th-century former Benedictine Monastery of St Mang, which was dissolved during secularisation in 1803. The Abbot was told to vacate the premises, and the library was shipped out on rafts. The abbey was gifted to Füssen 35 years later, and today it is a museum that displays the history of the abbey, the town, and the manufacture of violins and lutes. Beneath the monastery church is the Crypt of Saint Magnus, the patron saint of Füssen and founder of the abbey. In the crypt is Bavaria’s oldest surviving fresco, dated 980AD.

Another Bavarian feast is the best way to wrap up this journey. Starting with a clear soup with liver dumplings, followed by Schupfnudel, a fried potato noodle with vegetables, topped with sour cream and finished with a tantalising Bavarian dessert, the Prinzregententorte, a chocolate-covered thin-layer cake filled with chocolate buttercream.

Cleansing the palate with a Bavarian beer is ideal but it may take a while to choose a brand. With 647 breweries in Bavaria, you are spoilt for choice. Perhaps narrowing it down to the six brands permitted for use during Oktoberfest (beer festival) can help with the selection: Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr, Hofbräu, Löwenbräu, Paulaner, and Spaten. Each beer must be produced according to the Bavarian Beer Purity Law, introduced in 1516, which stipulates that the only ingredients permitted are barley, hops, yeast and water. Well, I say, cheers to that!!