Perched dramatically on a rugged hill above the Bavarian village of Hohenschwangau, Neuschwanstein Castle stands as one of the most iconic and romantic castles in the world. Commissioned in 1869 by King Ludwig II of Bavaria, it was envisioned as a fairy-tale retreat inspired by medieval legends, chivalry, and the operas of Richard Wagner. Although never fully completed, the castle’s breathtaking turrets, grand halls, and painted murals embody Ludwig’s dream of an idealized medieval kingdom, unto