Construction began in 1869 and from the beginning it was a long, drawn-out affair. From the very conception, Neuschwanstein Castle was intended as a homage to composer Richard Wagner. The translation literally means new swan stone and this name was inspired by the character of the Swan Knight in a Wagner opera. The interior even features elegant tapestries that depict scenes from some of Wagner's operas.
One of the most impressive aspects inside the castle is called the Throne Room. The Throne Room is one of the few that was not inspired directly by Wagner, but rather the famous Hagia Sophia in Instanbul (not Constantinople.) This opulent room has a ceiling that reaches to a second floor and features incredible frescoes depicting angels and other icons of Christianity.
Another very famous room within Neuschwanstein Castle is Singers Hall. This room is decorated as tribute specifically to one Wagernian operatic hero, Parsifal. The room was specially constructed for Richard Wagner himself to write as well as perform and today it serves as the castle's venue for public musical performances as well as the staging of theatrical performances. Considering Singers Hall makes up the entire fourth floor of the castle, these performances can tend to be extravagant.
Few castles in the world provide a more spectacular sight from both overhead and ground level than Neuschwanstein Castle. For this reason, it has long been a favorite for moviemakers. Among the films that have featured the castle are The Great Escape and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. The castle's undeniable beauty has been rendered in several video games including SimCity 3000 and SimCity 4. The castle just narrowly missed being included on a new version of the Seven Wonders of the World as voted on in 2007.
There remains some confusion about Walt Disney's connection with Neuschwanstein Castle. The Bavarian castle was the primary inspiration, but no means the only one, for Sleeping Beauty at Disneyland. Although Cinderella castle that greets visitors at Disney World was inspired by Sleeping Beauty castle and by connection Neuschwanstein, only Sleeping Beauty castle can actually be said to be based on King Ludwig's dream come true.
Although based on the designs of the famous medieval castles, it is important to remember that Neuschwanstein Castle was relatively modern in comparison to almost all other castles in Europe. As a result, construction was designed with the latest in then-modern conveniences and it contained a great many luxuries that even some of the most luxurious castles in history did not have at the time. For instance, Neuschwanstein Castle had running water on every single floor. There were even automatic flushing toilets in the castle and a heating system that kept the Neuschwanstein far warmer than other castles.
