Herrenchiemsee Castle

I have to admit that of all of King Ludwig II of Bavaria’s castles, Herrenchiemsee is my favorite. Originally meant to be the “new Versailles”, this magnificent palace is awe inspiring as well as beautiful. If you are planning a visit to Bavaria, this is a must see for castle lovers.

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How to Get to the Castle

The castle is actually located on an island in Bavaria’s biggest lake, chiemsee. It can reached by taking a ride on the ferry that runs from the town Prien. The ferry makes several stops along the way, the first being the island of Herreninsal, the island on which Herrenchiemsee Castle was built.

Upon arriving at the palace, you will not see the castle, but will be required to purchase a ticket to take the guided tour and/or visit the King Ludwig II Museum which is located in the castle. Whether you are taking the guided tour or not, you have the choice to walk the path to the castle or pay a couple of Euro to take the buggy ride. The walk is pretty flat, so if you are able to and have the time, you might find the walk enjoyable. It is fun as well to be carried by the horse drawn carriage on to the castle grounds.

The Castle

King Ludwig II of Bavaria’s fascination with King Louis XIV of France is very evident at Herrenchiemsee, as well as his obsession with Richard Wagner. The fountains and pools of water to be found in the castle gardens will certainly catch your eye when exploring the grounds. Whimsical statues depicting Wagner’s characters among others surround you while you explore. Taking a camera for picture taking is a must here! Anyone familiar with King Ludwig II will recognize this attempt of making fairy tales and Wagner’s plays come alive in this fantastic castle built with the intention of mirroring Versailles.

With only twenty completed rooms, the tour of the castle is somewhat brief but well worth it. Upon entering the castle on a tour, you will see a huge entryway with a magnificent stair up to the rooms above. Guests of the castle get the benefit of seeing the “State Staircase” from below and above, after they are guided up the stairway. The “State Bedroom” and “Great Hall of Mirrors” are definitely something to see! The hall of mirrors is meant to replicate that of Versailles, and does. It in fact is longer than the original!

Of the rooms available by tour, most are spectacularly decorated and ornate. The dining room features a dining table, similar to the one in Linderhof Palace, that servants can set the table and supply dinner without having had to disturb the king. The tapestries, paintings, and wood carvings are all ornate and part of the reason Herrenchiemsee (and all 20 of the rooms that were completed) cost more than Linderhof Palace and Neuschwanstein Castle both cost put together!

By clicking on this link to Herrenchiemsee's official home page you can get some detailed information on how much it costs to visit the castle and when it is open. Also, you can find out more about the King Ludwig the II museum which is located inside of the castle. There is also some more detailed information about the Augustine Monastery also located on the island.

Don’t forget you have to take a ferry to get there! The ferry is called the Chiemsee-Schiffahrt, and here is the link . Prien is a great place to visit and the ferry ride is an enjoyable way to get to the castle.

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