Dear Reader:
If you want to see where Disney got its idea for the first animated Disney castles… starting with Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and especially Cinderella...look no farther than Bavaria and the Neuschwanstein Castle. It is the most visited castle in Germany and one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe.
When this National Geographic article (“This Immense Fairy-Tale Castle was Built for One Person“-Andrea Leitch ) popped up a couple of days ago I found it absolutely fascinating… with lots of lessons to be learned about life from the story….I hope you enjoy it too!
“High in the Alpine foothills of Germany sits one of the most iconic castles in Europe. The “fairy-tale” king, Ludwig II of Bavaria, built this dazzling Neuschwanstein palace to withdraw from public life after losing his power in the Austro-Prussian war. It’s believed that he built his new castle as the centerpiece for an imagined kingdom—one in which he was the true king.
It became a real-life fantasy world modeled after medieval legends: the pictures on the wall express love, guilt, repentance, and salvation, particularly in the depiction of lovers, poets, knights, and kings.”
For an entire decade, starting in 1869, construction workers labored day and night to build this enormous castle. Theater production props could be found in every room along with paintings and sculptures by famous artisans the world over. Initially it was to have around 200 rooms…and yet it was built for just one man…Ludwig II.
When it was complete he dedicated it to Richard Wagner, the famous composer and only close friend he had….proclaiming that it was “Holy and Unapproachable.” Unfortunately for Ludwig II (by the mid 1880’s) foreign governments and banks who loaned him money for the construction found it very approachable as they declared him insane and the estate bankrupt.
To add more intrigue to the story…after living there for only a short period of time (a few weeks) Ludwig II’s body appeared. His corpse was discovered in nearby Lake Starnberg; many believed it was suicide but others believed it was assassination. His psychiatrist, who certified him as insane, was found dead with him.
Seven weeks after these mysterious deaths the castle was open to a fascinated public and continues to be the most popular castle in Germany by tourists world-wide.
When Walt Disney discovered it…he knew it was the perfect castle for the Sleeping Beauty castle being built in Disney land...It also became the inspiration for the 1950 animated Cinderella movie castle. (You can see why in this recent photo in National Geographic.) *Could have been used in Frozen too 🙂
So despite the hermit king’s unhappy ending, his vision has inspired many more happily ever afters for thousands of happy visitors each year. A lesson in sharing.
*As I was working on this story I realized that Cinderella and I share something in common…the big 70 birthday…along with the Ya’s and several other classmates. The movie was finished in 1949 but Walt Disney held it over to the New Year of 1950 to release it.
The only time I came close to pulling a Cinderella was the only time my hair was ever put up for my friend Lura’s wedding in which Brooke, Jackson, and I were bridesmaids (19 years old)…..so now I ask you…who has aged more gracefully…me or Cindrella? 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 *That is a rhetorical question by the way!!!
Today (We are both 70)….I am thinking it is that missing darn magical wand…Now where is it, where is my fairy godmother, especially when I need her….my prom dress, tiara and at least I should have lots of bubbles…give me a chance at least!
So until tomorrow….”Happiness is only real when shared.”
“Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh
***Whew! I am totally exhausted! I feel like I have been on a terrifying roller coaster ride for three hours and it didn’t stop being terrifying until the last possible second…I am talking, of course, about the Clemson, UNC game.
Hats off to UNC for a great game plan ( I love that school…if we hadn’t moved to SC my freshman year in high school I had planned to go there (drop-dead beautiful campus)… but life had other plans for me)
***I am beginning to think that if my heart is still ticking after that game…I should be around for quite awhile :)…it was put to the test. But, somehow, we found a way to win it…GO TIGERS!!!!!
ichaseferalcats
John Turner
Legally Ohm
Becky Dingle
Thanks for sharing the castle story. I will definitely share it with Colby. Disney is still her favorite place to visit. The game certainly was too close for comfort, but several good things may have come out of it including the fact the first team got practice playing an entire game. However, a win goes down as a win in the record book. I am a Carolina fan, but since I invested money in my children’s education in Clemson, and since I always pull for my home state, I was extremely happy for those Tigers.
You are a good (state) egg Jo….putting SC over USC or Clemson…I love it…we need more fans like you! It ended up a good day for both but USC’s was definitely more sedate than finger-biting Clemson…I have got to hide my nails in church today! 🙂 You and Colby have a wonderful weekend and looking forward to our next get-together to see how Colby’s senior year is thriving now.
I still enjoy the original Cinderella movie but my grans prefer the new with real people .Those mice are just too cute in both. I did not know about the history of the world famous castle. Thank you for the lesson.
I love the 1950 animated Cinderella movie too…my favorite…and the mice song is what I look forward to every time I watch the movie…..” Cinderelly Cinderelly
Night and day it’s Cinderelly Make the fire! Fix the breakfast! Wash the dishes! Do the mopping!….
Becky,
I have to argue with you on this one. Cinderella was a wimp who would have gotten nowhere if others hadn’t decided to make her dreams come true. You, on the other hand, face down adversity, encourage others, and make the world more delightful with flowers and shared wisdom. YOU are much more beautiful than Cinderella, from the inside out!
Wow! Talk about making a great day for a girl come true…you sure did…thank you so much…I love beating Cinderella…you take that you wimp! Love your perspective!!!! 🙂
Becky…finally was able to access the blog. It still clicks on and off. Just read what you were sharing last night about fairy tales…quite gruesome. We took Emmie and Ellie several years ago to see Cinderella and Emmie cried because she thought the prince would not find the real Cinderella!
I really enjoyed yesterday so much. So glad that we got it worked out. So sad that our plan didnt work…already had it on my calendar twice…but I will be there in spirit. Love you .