tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3067098918914268503.post1721243503507868991..comments2024-03-28T22:50:02.315+11:00Comments on ART and ARCHITECTURE, mainly: King Ludwig II's castles in BavariaHelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02849907428208235392noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3067098918914268503.post-44597320096707274942016-12-15T14:29:24.097+11:002016-12-15T14:29:24.097+11:00Philippa
many thanks. One question still bothers ...Philippa<br /><br />many thanks. One question still bothers me. If Ludwig II spent all his time in dad's Hohenschwangau and loved it but found it too modest, why didn't he simply expand and re-decorate Hohenschwangau? It still would have cost him heaps of money, but not nearly as much as a brand new Neuschwanstein cost. AND he would have had plenty of years to love his dream creation.Helshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02849907428208235392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3067098918914268503.post-18587513892989356462016-12-15T13:48:15.465+11:002016-12-15T13:48:15.465+11:00Ludwig didn't like his parents but he shared a...Ludwig didn't like his parents but he shared a strong connection with his grandfather, the eccentric Ludwig I, king of Bavaria from 1825-48. Most of his childhood was spent in his father's castle, Hohenschwangau, a modest but fantastical building near the Austrian border. It was decorated with Germanic sagas. It was from Hohenschwangau that Ludwig first laid eyes on the ruinous fort where he was to build Neuschwangstein.<br /><br />King Ludwig I abdicated in 1848 in favour of his eldest son, Maximilian, but it wasn't until 1868 that grandfather died and left his wealth to his grandson. The same year, Ludwig II commissioned concept art from Wagner's stage designer for Neuschwanstein and Herrenchiemsee. One year later, the foundation of Neuschwanstein was laid, with the previous ruins that stood on the spot demolished.<br /><br />Philippa Grafton<br />Explore History, #005Philippa Graftonhttps://www.imagineshop.co.uk/magazines/explore-history/explore-history-issue-5.htmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3067098918914268503.post-32869477673494560382014-07-31T13:49:33.639+10:002014-07-31T13:49:33.639+10:00Andrew
I had added a reference from the blog Gay ...Andrew<br /><br />I had added a reference from the blog Gay Influence which is very helpful. I had already mentioned that Ludwig became best friends with his aide de camp, Prince Paul von Thurn und Taxis family. <br /><br />The blog also discusses was a reason for the postponement and ultimate cancellation. During the summer Ludwig had met Richard Hornig, a superb horseman who was employed as a groom at one of his stables. Hornig soon became Crown Equerry and Master of the Horse, controlling all carriages, stabling, purchase, breeding and training of the Royal horses.Helshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02849907428208235392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3067098918914268503.post-20726298564346901832011-10-10T09:42:23.227+11:002011-10-10T09:42:23.227+11:00Heather
Sissi and Ludwig II were close cousins. S...Heather<br /><br />Sissi and Ludwig II were close cousins. Sissi was a Bavarian princess who went on to become Empress Elisabeth of Austria (1837–1898), spouse of Emperor Franz Joseph I. <br /><br />Ludwig (1845-1886)'s lifetime overlapped Sissi's exactly and may explain why he was close to these particular cousins. He was even engaged to Sissi's sister, Duchess Sophie of Bavaria - briefly!Helshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02849907428208235392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3067098918914268503.post-2391499586391379822011-10-10T04:24:54.032+11:002011-10-10T04:24:54.032+11:00I had in my mind that Ludwig was married to the be...I had in my mind that Ludwig was married to the beautiful and celebrated Sissi - or perhaps they were just relatedHeather on her travelshttp://www.heatheronhertravels.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3067098918914268503.post-89350458472755119742011-10-04T15:09:27.583+11:002011-10-04T15:09:27.583+11:00jeronimus
my pleasure! I visited Linderhof and Ne...jeronimus<br /><br />my pleasure! I visited Linderhof and Neuschwanstein and loved the experience also. <br /><br />Perhaps if Ludwig had married his Austrian fiancee, Austria _might_ have been obliged to protect Bavaria. But it was never going to stop German unification.<br /><br />How ironic is it that the castles have ideed paid for themselves many times over through tourism. However we need to note two things. <br /><br />a] Ludwig hardly had a chance to enjoy any of his magnificent castles before he died. <br /><br />b] Even had Ludwig lived to a decent age, he would have been horrified to see people coming up the mountain path to his private, isolated space. He wouldn't even allow the servants to be in the same room that he was in.Helshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02849907428208235392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3067098918914268503.post-51095770336072192352011-10-04T14:52:03.375+11:002011-10-04T14:52:03.375+11:00Thanks for the post by the way. I visited Neuschwa...Thanks for the post by the way. I visited Neuschwanstein, and two of the other castles, at a very impressionable and pivotal age of 12, and it was good to revisit the experience.jeronimushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09099993403604440221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3067098918914268503.post-56508667494129109162011-10-04T14:45:59.893+11:002011-10-04T14:45:59.893+11:00I don;t know much about this period, but the doco ...I don;t know much about this period, but the doco seemed to be saying that though Bavaria was a small power, it was crucially poised between the conflicting powers of Prussia and Austria, due to marriage alliances. Perhaps if Ludwig had married his Austrian fiance rather than indulging his obsession with Wagner's fantasy world, Austria would have been obliged to protect Bavaria. Domino theories of geopolitics tend to be wrong, but not always. <br />Ludwig borrowed heavily for the construction of the castles but they have payed for themselves many times over through tourism.jeronimushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09099993403604440221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3067098918914268503.post-86106942515472103512011-10-02T15:23:22.965+11:002011-10-02T15:23:22.965+11:00jeronimus
good question. My feeling is that Wagne...jeronimus<br /><br />good question. My feeling is that Wagner's relationship with Cosimo was an embarrassment only for the Bavarians. And in Bavarian court circles, they were offended by Wagner's extravagant lifestyle and arrogance. He was seen as a potentially evil influence upon the young King. Outside Bavaria, people didn't know or didn't care.<br /><br />But the strategies Wagner used in setting up his Bayreuth festival did try to link Wagner's music with the unification of Germany. Wagner saw himself as the Bismarck of music, the composer who had sacrificed his life to the German cause. German nationalism was far broader than tiny Bavaria.Helshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02849907428208235392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3067098918914268503.post-33667481741783854522011-10-02T11:40:21.485+11:002011-10-02T11:40:21.485+11:00I once saw a documentary which made out that Wagne...I once saw a documentary which made out that Wagner was Bavaria's equivalent of Rasputin, eroding the viability the monarchy there, which ultimately lead to the rise of Greater Germany and the third Reich.jeronimushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09099993403604440221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3067098918914268503.post-79445915395761797372011-10-01T21:37:22.923+10:002011-10-01T21:37:22.923+10:00Hermes
I come back to this story often, often in ...Hermes<br /><br />I come back to this story often, often in connection to Wagner, or Oberammergau or Touring The Romantische Strasse. It never fails to move students.Helshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02849907428208235392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3067098918914268503.post-82076466101010118912011-10-01T21:35:08.937+10:002011-10-01T21:35:08.937+10:00WeTravel
fantastic places! Ludwig II had already ...WeTravel<br /><br />fantastic places! Ludwig II had already planned to build a large opera house in Munich, specialising in Wagnerian opera. When that fell through, it was not difficult to shift to a very similar structure in Bayreuth. Along with the building, the early Wagner festivals were also paid for from Ludwig's finances.<br /><br />Wagner's villa, Wahnfried, was built in Bayreuth under the "sponsorship" of King Ludwig. Does this mean Ludwig paid for all the costs? some of the costs? or did he go guarantor for the other funders?Helshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02849907428208235392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3067098918914268503.post-71530748095332285232011-10-01T21:25:42.446+10:002011-10-01T21:25:42.446+10:00Andrew
I too wish I knew who Ludwig fancied. Wiki...Andrew<br /><br />I too wish I knew who Ludwig fancied. Wiki noted that as an adolescent, Ludwig became best friends with his aide de camp, Prince Paul of Bavaria's wealthy Thurn und Taxis family. Plus he had a succession of close friendships with men, including his chief equerry and Master of the Horse, a Hungarian theatre actor and a courtier Alfons Weber. But were these relationships consumated? Or did he just dream of what might have been?Helshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02849907428208235392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3067098918914268503.post-14427394623947707982011-10-01T20:49:11.042+10:002011-10-01T20:49:11.042+10:00Nothing I can add I'm afraid - absolutely rive...Nothing I can add I'm afraid - absolutely riveting.Hermeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00968366076064269729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3067098918914268503.post-77530219076631835612011-10-01T18:57:03.184+10:002011-10-01T18:57:03.184+10:00We saw the concert hall in Bayreuth and Wagner'...We saw the concert hall in Bayreuth and Wagner's home in the same town. Loved them. Ludwig may have paid for them, as well.WeTravelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3067098918914268503.post-25570119470741329642011-10-01T15:12:41.780+10:002011-10-01T15:12:41.780+10:00And no specific person mentioned who was a lover? ...And no specific person mentioned who was a lover? I would have thought that a king not too interested in running his kingdom would be appreciated by the Cabinet. Haha, word verification is sedion, almost sedition.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3067098918914268503.post-54776847132693166232011-10-01T13:05:09.152+10:002011-10-01T13:05:09.152+10:00foto fanatic,
this is a good story, isn't it?...foto fanatic,<br /><br />this is a good story, isn't it? I think that King Ludwig was already leery about the running of his nation, before he came to power. He was expected to lead the army from in front AND run the day to day affairs of government, neither of which he could abide.<br /><br />Which would have been fine, had he abdicated or handed over the controls of parliament to the Cabinet. But as it was, they had to drag him to Munich once a year, just to get legislation signed.<br /><br />Castle building was of course hugely expensive. Desperate Ludwig tried borrowing personal money from Swedes, Norwegians, Turks etc etc. But even that was not enough. Ludwig was still planning two more castles - a HUGE Chinese Palace and a more modest Byzantine Palace.Helshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02849907428208235392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3067098918914268503.post-77838486764373285692011-10-01T10:03:52.563+10:002011-10-01T10:03:52.563+10:00Stunning beauty in those castles.
I can't im...Stunning beauty in those castles. <br /><br />I can't imagine the construction costs, but if it was his own money being used in this frenzy of castle construction, where was the harm?<br /><br />Poor Ludwig.the foto fanatichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17234840691455844914noreply@blogger.com