Alpenhotel Meier

Swan Country

by Kuznetsov_Sergey

Schwangau means "Swan Country", and the presence of a sizeable colony of these aloof birds has cast a spell on rulers of the area down the centuries.

As the decoration of their fantasy castles testifies, the nineteenth-century Bavarian kings Maximilian II and his son Ludwig II were obsessed by the swan motif and the medieval Grail legends associated with it.

King Ludwig II recalled his line of descent and celebrated the arrival of the legendary knight on the shores of the Alpsee and united two figures into one: Driant, the Knight of the Swan, and Lohengrin, also a knight of the swan.

Cute little Village - access to Neuschwanstein

by amandajayne81

"Just a few hour visit but definitely worthwhile"

We only stopped in at Schwangau as a place to get to the famous Neuschwanstein Castle. Supposedly the inspiration for Walt Disney's Castle. It was an overcast and misty day but still fabulous with gorgeous surrounds and enough shops to keep most tourists happy. Yes it is a touristy place but still manages to remain beautiful.