The Fairytale Castles of King Ludwig II (2013)
• July 2nd, 2013 • 0h 59min
History, Documentary
Overview
Ludwig II of Bavaria, more commonly known by his nicknames the Swan King or the Dream King, is a legendary figure - the handsome boy-king, loved by his people, betrayed by his cabinet and found dead in tragic and mysterious circumstances. He spent his life in pursuit of the ideal of beauty, an ideal that found expression in three of the most extraordinary, ornate architectural schemes imaginable - the castle of Neuschwanstein and the palaces of Linderhof and Herrenchiemsee. Today, these three buildings are among Germany's biggest tourist attractions. Dan Cruickshank explores the rich aesthetic of Ludwig II - from the mock-medievalism of Neuschwanstein, the iconic fairytale castle that became the inspiration for the one in Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty, to the rich Baroque splendour of Herrenchiemsee, Ludwig's answer to Versailles. Dan argues that Ludwig's castles are more than flamboyant kitsch and are, in fact, the key to unravelling the eternal enigma of Ludwig II.
Make sure to check your pop-up blocker!!
Trailer
Similar Movies
The Wild Forest
Released on: 2021-10-07
Documentary
“Let nature be nature” is the philosophy of the Bavarian Forest National Park. Despite massive resis...
The Sealed Room
Released on: 1909-09-02
Romance, Drama, History, Horror
The Count sets out to make a private room for him and his Countess, built in such a way no one can s...
Carry On Henry
Released on: 1971-06-03
Adventure, Comedy, History, Romance
Henry VIII has just married Marie of Normandy, and is eager to consummate their marriage. Unfortunat...
Sissi: The Fateful Years of an Empress
Released on: 1957-12-18
Romance, Drama, History
After a wonderful time in Hungary Sissi falls extremely ill and must retreat to a Mediterranean clim...
Throne of Blood
Released on: 1957-01-15
Drama, History
Returning to their lord's castle, samurai warriors Washizu and Miki are waylaid by a spirit who pred...
Ludwig
Released on: 1973-03-07
Drama, History
Historical evocation of Ludwig, king of Bavaria, from his crowning in 1864 until his death in 1886, ...
The Old Gun
Released on: 1975-08-20
Drama, History
In Montauban in 1944, Julien Dandieu in a surgeon in the local hospital. Frightened by the German ar...
Cows Knocked Up by Fog
Released on: 2002-10-26
Documentary
Catchy mix of farce and documentary. Portrait of a Berlin theatre company made up entirely of the ho...
Warriors of Faith
Released on: 1947-03-28
War, History, Drama
After the Battle of Lipany, the remnants of the Hussite troops concentrated under the leadership of ...
Ran
Released on: 1985-06-01
Action, Drama, History
Shakespeare's King Lear is reimagined as a singular historical epic set in sixteenth-century Japan w...
The Lion in Winter
Released on: 1968-08-20
Drama, History
Henry II and his estranged queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine, battle over the choice of an heir.
Die Dichter und die Räterepublik
Released on: 1990-01-01
Documentary
Documentary film with play scenes about the rise and fall of the short-lived Bavarian Soviet Republi...
Beautiful Bavaria
Released on: 1953-04-04
Documentary
This Traveltalk series short visit to southern Germany begins in Berchtesgaden. After a boat ride on...
North Face
Released on: 2008-10-23
Adventure, Drama, Action, History, Thriller
North Face tells the story of two German climbers Toni Kurz and Andreas Hinterstoisser and their att...
Glimpses of Western Germany
Released on: 1954-02-13
Documentary
This James A. FitzPatrick Traveltalks short visits the West German cities of Hamburg, Bremen, Munich...
Chambord: The Castle, the King and the Architect
Released on: 2015-12-05
Documentary, History, TV Movie
Chambord, the most impressive castle in the Loire Valley, in France, a truly Renaissance treasure, h...
The Black Shield of Falworth
Released on: 1954-09-02
Adventure, History, Romance
In the days of King Henry IV, stalwart young Myles and his sister Meg have been raised as peasants, ...
Theodor Hierneis oder Wie man ehem. Hofkoch wird
Released on: 1973-05-05
History
Theodor Hierneis oder Wie man ehem. Hofkoch wird consists of a monologue performed by Walter Sedlmay...
The Black Hussar
Released on: 1932-10-12
Drama, Romance, Adventure, History, Music
In 1812, during the French period, large parts of Germany are occupied by the troops of Napoleon. Se...