The Fairytale Castles Of King Ludwig IIMay 23, 2016

Ludwig II of Bavaria is a legendary figure - the handsome boy-king, loved by his people, betrayed by his cabinet and found dead in tragic and mysterious circumstances. He spent his life in pursuit of the ideal of beauty, an ideal that found expression in three of the most extraordinary, ornate architectural schemes imaginable - the castle of Neuschwanstein and the palaces of Linderhof and Herrenchiemsee. Today, these three buildings are among Germany's biggest tourist attractions. In this documentary Dan Cruickshank explores the rich aesthetic of Ludwig II - from the mock-medievalism of Neuschwanstein the iconic fairytale castle, which became the inspiration for Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty castle, to the rich Baroque splendour of Herrenchiemsee, Ludwig's answer to Versailles. (From the UK) (Documentary) (class tba)

The Fairytale Castles Of King Ludwig II was broadcast on SBS ONE at Monday 23 May 2016, 05:10. This episode was initially placed on Saturday 1 February 2014.