Linderhof Palace - Sightseeing & Information

Linderhof Palace was built at the behest of King Ludwig II in the middle of a harsh mountain landscape, in the solitude of the Graswangtal valley in Bavaria (Germany). The original ideas were born to the king after visiting Versailles in 1867. Already in 1869, he acquired possessions around Linderhof, where his father, Maximilian II, owned a hunting lodge.

Under the leadership of the royal architect Georg Dolman, the "Royal Villa" (1870 -1878) was built not as a representative building, but rather as a personal refuge, as a place of solitude for the king who had retired from the world. Marble sculptures, stucco moldings and ceiling paintings give a penchant for the images of ancient mythology.

Park of Linderhof

Galleries with linden vaults directly behind the castle lead up the steep northern slope from the strictly ornamental carpet garden. The water flows down here in cascades, along thirty marble steps, into a pool with a fountain, decorated with a sculptural group of Neptune.

The steep hillsides of the valley create natural conditions for the castle park. Renaissance terraced gardens, stylized baroque parterres and a long natural landscaped garden in the English style have been miraculously transformed by Karl von Effner into an ingenious and delightful single piece of landscaping over a vast 80 hectare area. The southern elevation, which the king initially envisioned for the construction of a theater building in the Rococo style, is crowned with a classic round temple with a marble statue of Venus by I. N. Gautman.

In 1876-1877, "landscape sculptor" August Dirigl created for the king an artificial stalactite cave - the grotto of Venus. And Franz Seitz built a golden boat from shells. Underwater lighting, artificial waves, lighting effects provide a fabulous illusion.

 Linderhof was the only castle that was completed during the king's lifetime. It remained the king's favorite residence until his tragic death on June 13, 1886.