Neuschwanstein Castle (
German:
Schloss Neuschwanstein) is a 19th-century
Romanesque Revivalpalace on a rugged hill above the village of
Hohenschwangau near
Füssen in southwest
Bavaria,
Germany. The palace was commissioned by
Ludwig II of Bavaria as a retreat and as a homage to
Richard Wagner. Contrary to common belief, Ludwig paid for the palace out of his personal fortune and extensive borrowing, not with Bavarian public funds. The palace was intended as a personal refuge for the reclusive king, but it was opened to the paying public immediately after his death in 1886. Since then over 60 million people have visited Neuschwanstein Castle. More than 1.3 million people visit annually, with up to 6,000 per day in the summer.The palace has appeared prominently in several movies and was the inspiration for
Disneyland's
Sleeping Beauty Castle and later, similar structures.