Fairytale comes to life

I don't want to say this the wrong way around but today Emily and I visited the castle that inspired the Disney Castle. It is in Fussen and is called the Neuschwanstein Castle. As you can see by the pictures it is quite a fairytale building to look at and I can assure you, walking through it is like being in a Disney movie. The story behind it is that it was commissioned by King Ludwig II of Bavaria. He was the last official King of Bavaria and the eldest son of Maxamillion II. He was brought up in a very strict family and was isolated from birth, living in a fantasy world that he created. This continued into his older years as he ascended to the throne on his 18th birthday unexpectedly and without any political understanding or experience. After the German War where Ludwig II was pressured to join Austria in a battle against Prussia that he was sure he would lose, he lost his power as the King of Bavaria despite maintaining his title. During his reign as King he developed a fascination of the composer Wagner (and why wouldn't you?) and requested his stay in Bavaria - repaying all the debts that the compulsive gambler had amounted. Wagner lived out of the pocket of the King until he was forced out of the country by the Kings Council when he began to involve himself with politics and so Ludwig II then continued his financial support from afar and began creating this fantasy world in his reality. He commissioned buildings all over the place all of which were off limits to the public. Neuschwanstein Castle, otherwise known as the New Castle, although never completed was the last of the castles to be commissioned. The detail of this building is incredible. No expense has been spared and during the time of its building, the King progressively spent more and more time isolating himself in the hills with his mountains. It was later in his ruler ship, after calling off his engagement to his Austrian Cousin and an uproar from the Bavarian public about the use of fund for the project that his Uncle intervened and had him seen by a psychiatrist. His increasingly isolated behaviour was becoming a concern - not even speaking to the house staff and spending most of his time in his man made cave. This is where the conspiracy happens - the day before the Psychiatrist declared that the King was in fact not insane but, get this- suffering the effects of an addiction to cocaine, where they both found drowned in the lake near the castle. Murder was never proven and so no one ever knew the real answer.