DEUTSCHLAND	GERMANY
Bundesland: Freistaat Bayern	Bavaria
Regierungsbezirk: Schwaben
Landkreis: Ostallgäu

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Neuschwanstein castle is located near Hohenschwangau and Füssen in the Ostallgäu district of southwestern Bavaria. It is one of Germany's best-known tourist destinations and is considered the country's most photographed building.

Construction was started by King Ludwig II of Bavaria, also known as "Mad King Ludwig". It was named after the Swan Knight, Lohengrin, of Wagner's opera, and was designed by Christian Jank. The castle is located near Hohenschwangau Castle, an older structure restored by Ludwig's father, Maximilian II of Bavaria. Owing to his eccentricites and his perceived use of Bavarian funds (a myth, as Ludwig actually used his own money to finance the construction of the castle), Ludwig was removed from power before the castle was completed. Soon after Ludwig's mysterious death (he drowned in Lake Starnberg) in 1886, the castle and its amazing interior were opened to the public. Many tapestries and paintings depict scenes from the operas of Richard Wagner, a reflection of Ludwig's love for the composer's work. However, many of the interior rooms remain undecorated. Only 14 rooms were finished before Ludwig's death and only a few rooms were completed thereafter in order to include them in the public tours.

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuschwanstein]