Beautiful Herrenchiemsee in Bayern
Kulturkompasset Castle Serie
Beautiful Herrenchiemsee in Bayern
Visited by Henning Høholt and Tomas Bagackas
CHIEMSEE/GERMANY: We visited Herrenchiemsee, the wonderful castle, that King Ludwig II let build after the impression of, and as a copy of Ludwig the XIV Versailles outside Paris. A castle that Ludwig II was found of, and honestly, we must admit that Herrenchiemsee is even more beautiful than Versailles.
Spite, that this castle, situated not far from the Austrian boarder, on the way to Salzburg, don´t have the extra outside wings that Versailles has, their were planed, but the money did´t permit it to be build.
THE FOUNTAINS
Furthermore I find that the fountains surrounded by sculptures of high class are even more beautiful than the Versailles ones. Of course, I do know that there is a difference of 300 years between the two castles.
The large LATONA fountain in the Center from 1883, by Johann Nepomuk Whitman is a copy of the fountain with the same name in Versailles.
It is crowned with the marble figur of the goddess Latona with her children Diana and Apollo.
According to a legend (Ovids Metamorphose), the Lycician peasants refused water to the thirst goddess and her children.
To punish them she turned them into frogs.
The waterworks were recent structured 1970-94 with support by the association Friends of Herrenchiemsee.
DEPARTURE to HERRENCHIEMSEE:
Upon arriving with the train to the station, we had to find down to where the ferry was departing to go to the Herreninsel, and we found the small walk romantic and charming. Later we found out that there is a small old fashion local train driving down to the harbour from the Railway station.
However the walk was not long -15 min, and gave us the possibility to enjoy the architecture of that part of the city, who is going away from the city center. I should have wished that we have had time to make a promenade in the city center too, next time – hopefully. Even an overnight in Hotel Ludwig II by the harbour could have been charming, with the wonderful view of the lake, iceland and the Alps behind.
For us, we find Herrenchiemsee as a hidden treasury of the highest possible class. In fact, it is not so easy to find, and upon arriving to the train station it we had to ask somebody in a shop to get on the correct way on a (nice) 15 minutes walk down to the small harbour, situated at the lake side, from where boats are running often to the insets at the sea.
On the short boat trip, we enjoyed passing the Old Chapel, See photo.
Herreninsel, which was our happy goal this day, Fraueninsel, where in former days was a female monastery, and one more iceland.
The ferry goes fast, and we had a very welcome feeling. Still we feel that it is a hidden treasury. The boats was completely full of happy tourists on a «normal monday». So was the castle, and all its surroundings.
Opposite what Versailles has managed to do, is that at Herrenchiemsee, they have managed to make a very good cafe/restaurant with self service in front of the castle, where the facade is to the west side, so that this was a popular getting together for visitors under the parasols in the good sunshine.
Opposite the bedroom for Ludwig II who is to the East side, so he could be waked up by the sunshine in the morning. His bedrooms, both the «official one», where he never sleeped, and the daily one, where he sleeped, are enormous luxurious, with must more luxus in the decorations than at Versailles. Hope he sleeped well there.
The surroundings are a large forest, with a summer and a winter gangway, where, as far as we understood. Only the winter one is useful during the winterperiode.
The difference from Versailles is that upon entering Herrenchiemsee, we arrive to the “garden/fountain” side, where we at Versailles enter to the Yard side, and first are having the possibility to enjoy the Garden side with the fountains after having passed through the whole cast. In this it was a great pleasure to arrive to Herrenchiemsee castle from the garden side, and upon entering also have the possibility to immediately enjoy the canal, which is going in the direction to the Harbour from where we started the boat trip.
Before entering the to the fountain place in front of the castle, we had a nice promenade from the harbour passing the old Agostiner monastery, where we later enjoyed the exposition, the Fürstensal, with wonderful wall and ruff paintings, and not to forget a well keep floor, and also noticed the many large paintings of former priests and munks from the Agostiner order. In addition at the center of the monastery a large nice garden, and outgoing through it to the monastery farm and a small church.
Herrenchiemsee, the castle:
We entered the castle through the official entrance hall and staircase, who is a magnifique building part with, to our first look, walls and stairs is beautifully decorated with marble of all kind and colors. The guid honestly told us about this hall, that in fact it is only the staircase steps, and a few other details which are in marble, the rest is decorated so it looks like marble, a very well done handwork. However, an interesting detail is that at that time, when it was build, the additional material was more expensive than the marble.
After entering the second floor, where all the official rooms are situated, we then passed through all the official residence part. Glamorous equipped.
We were specially amazed from the magnifique Meissen grand chandelier, said to be the largest ever made by Meissen, In addition several more Meissen decorations in the rooms near by
.
Then we entered in to the Hall of Mirrors 100 meter long, and more beautiful than the Versailles on, however, i Have a feeling that this one is slimmer than Versailles.
Then we continued to the «private» part of the castle,
All the tour inside the castle ended up at the outgoing hall and staircase, which was never finished, and still were in murstein, but magnifique.
It even has a swimming pool, Ritter (Knights) pool – for Ludwigs Knights, beautiful painted like an oriental garden, and with a Murano chandellier in white and turquoise color.
n the following nice departure room was even a large Meissen chandelier, but this one in biscuit type, not painted, not with glasur.
LUDWIG II Exposition:
In the one side parts of the castle is a large, and very interesting exposition, showing many of the original furniture to this castle, but also to Linderhof and the of Ludwig IIs Castle, and here were also exposed many other private details from the Kings household, please enjoy the photos from this part.
RICHARD WAGNERS OPERAS
Another interesting part, specially for Opera lowers are the interesting large exposition with a model of the fantastic, but, unfortunately for Bayern, never build, but planned and shown by a wooden model of the Munich Operahouse, that Wagner and Ludwig II planed to be in Muncih across the river Isar, please enjoy or photos from this part.
OPERA SCENOGRAPHY MODELS
Furthermore, a large very detailed and interesting seia of scenography models for many of the most famouse Richard Wagner operas, from the actual periode with the great relationship and supporting between Wagner and the King. – Now long time after, it is clear that, if this friendship not has been there, the world would´t have got the possibility to enjoy Richard Wagners fantastic creativity in such an outstanding way. Still he has the creativity, and the compositions, but it might be sure, that the friendship between King Ludwig II and Richard Wagner, and the Kings support, did help the composer.
Kulturkompasset will return to write a special history regarding this interesting Museum part at Herrenchiemsee, later during the winter season.
Carriage rides on the Herreninsel
The carriages normally run from mid-April until the end of October (depending on the seasonal weather) between the boat pier and the Royal Palace (shuttle service). (only in summer).
The trip takes around 15 minutes (one way). Please note that there is only a limited number of carriages.
The price for a one-way trip (2016) is 3.50 euros for adults and 1 euro for children and young people (5 to 14 years).
. Bagackas” width=”600″ height=”137″ /> Back at the Harbor, a last view over the lake to Herreninsel. heading away from the boat to the train to Munich. Henning should have loved to overnight here, and enjoyed the quiet atmosphere. Foto T. Bagackas
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