Neuschwanstein Castle: A Dreamer’s Legacy or a Lost Kingdom?

This week, I returned to Neuschwanstein Castle, and it was just as breathtaking as the first time I saw it. Its soaring towers, intricate murals, and almost unreal beauty still made me feel like I had stepped into a fairytale. But this time, I thought less about the castle and more about the man who built it—King Ludwig II of Bavaria. A visionary? A dreamer? Or just a man who hated to negotiate?

Ludwig ruled Bavaria at a time when European borders were shifting once again. In the 1860s, Otto von Bismarck was redrawing the map, using war and diplomacy to unite Germany under Prussian rule. Bavaria’s independence was on the line, and Ludwig, as its king, was expected to defend it. If he had been a stronger negotiator, could he have changed history? Could Bavaria have remained independent until this day? Maybe. But Bismarck was a master of realpolitik—cold, strategic power plays that Ludwig had no interest in. Instead, Ludwig buried himself in the world of knights, myths, and art. The term realpolitik even emerged around that time—was that just a coincidence, or a sign that Ludwig never stood a chance?

One thing is certain: Neuschwanstein, as we know it, would not exist if Ludwig had been more interested in negotiations. Would I trade this castle for an independent Bavaria? The first time I visited, I might have said yes. But now, standing there again, I wasn’t so sure. Today, we see leaders making power moves—reshaping borders, strengthening alliances, and using negotiation as a tool of dominance. Ludwig, lost in his fantasies, might have been unfit for his time, but at least he left behind something beautiful. I wonder how history will judge the leaders of today.