Nafisah & Sonia

Schloss Neuschwanstein
·2· A king and his castle

Pre-reading
What types of historical buildings interest you? Which of the following
historical buildings and monuments have you visited?
□ Angkor Wat □ The Parthenon
□ Buckingham Palace □ The Pyramids of Giza
□ The Eiffel Tower □ The Roman Coliseum
□ The Great Wall of China □ The Statue of Liberty
□ Macchu Picchu □ The Taj Mahal
Which place(s) would you like to visit?

Reading text
1 Schloss1 Neuschwanstein is one of Europe’s most popular castles. Located
on a hill overlooking the village of Hohenschwangau, near the town of Füssen in
southern Germany, this nineteenth-century castle attracts 1.3 million interna-
tional tourists every year. Recognized as the model for Sleeping Beauty’s Castle at
Disneyland in Anaheim, California, Schloss Neuschwanstein must be seen to be
believed, but to fully appreciate its “fairy tale” mystique, one must learn about the
king who planned and built it.
2 Ludwig Otto Friedrich Wilhelm was born to Maximilian II of Bavaria and
Princess Marie of Prussia on August 25, 1845, in Schloss Nymphenburg in Munich,
the capital of Bavaria. His brother, Otto, was born three years later. At the age of
18, Ludwig took the throne after his father died of a sudden illness, and he reigned
as King Ludwig II of Bavaria from 1864 to 1886. On January 22, 1867, he became
engaged to Duchess Sophie Charlotte in Bavaria, but after 10 months he broke off
the engagement. Ludwig never married or produced an heir, which in those days
was unthinkable for a monarch. With the exception of a platonic friendship with
Empress Elizabeth of Austria, Ludwig’s closest friendships were with men.
3 As a child, Ludwig told his governess that he wanted to remain an eternal
enigma to himself and others, and in this regard he succeeded. Ludwig spent most
of his childhood in the gothic castle of Hohenschwangau, surrounded by frescoes
of German sagas. He was raised with a strict sense of duty and a keen awareness of
his royal status. His true interests, however, lay in poetry and theater, and he

1 Schloss is the German word for “castle” or “palace.”

12
 tended to spend more time alone indulging his fantasies than training to become a future king.
Ludwig grew into a tall, slim, and handsome Prince Charming, with a shock of dark wavy hair,
full pouting lips, and wide dreamy eyes that often gaze upward in portraits as if at a distant dream
world. In his later years, Ludwig filled out and wore a goatee, and his youthful wistfulness matured
into a stern aloofness.
4 Ludwig’s lack of political experience and his shy nature made him ill-suited to the throne of
Bavaria. In 1866, two years after his coronation, Ludwig experienced a humiliating defeat when
he was forced into an alliance with Prussia against Austria. Feeling himself a mere political
underling to his uncle, the King of Prussia, Ludwig began to pay more attention to his personal
interests than to his duties. He was an enthusiastic fan of the composer Richard Wagner; three
months after becoming king, Ludwig invited Wagner to court. Despite the ups and downs of
their lifelong relationship, Ludwig sponsored Wagner lavishly and saved him from financial ruin.
He also established Munich as the music capital of Europe.
5 Ludwig believed in a holy kingdom created through the grace of God, and he identified
with larger-than-life heroes of Middle Age sagas and legends. To turn his fantasies into reality,
Ludwig built beautiful castles, which strangers were not allowed to enter. In 1874, construction
began on the relatively small, neo-French rococo Schloss Linderhof. The baroque royal palace of
Herrenchiemsee, begun in 1878 and modeled on the Château de Versailles, was built on a scenic
island in Lake Chiemsee.
6 The most private and personal of his projects was his third, Schloss Neuschwanstein. Com-
missioned in 1867, Schloss Neuschwanstein was built between 1869 and 1886 as Ludwig’s per-
sonal retreat in the mountains. Dedicated to the genius of Richard Wagner, the castle was designed
in the neoromantic style. The interior was ornately decorated with themes from Parsifal and
Lohengrin, two of Richard Wagner’s operas. Ludwig spared no expense or luxury; hundreds of
craftsmen employed the most up-to-date methods of construction and used the finest materials.
The castle’s many amenities included a central heating system, running cold and hot water, flush
toilets, an electric intercom system, a telephone, and a dumbwaiter to transport food from the
kitchen to the dining room. In 1884, Ludwig moved into his private upper-story suite, but the rest
of the castle remained an ongoing construction site. Of the 200 planned rooms, only 15 were
completed, and to this day Schloss Neuschwanstein and Ludwig’s other castles remain unfinished
symphonies.
7 When Ludwig’s personal finances ran dry, he borrowed heavily from foreign banks. Despite
his mounting debt and contrary to the advice of his financial ministers, Ludwig took on more
opulent projects, such as a Byzantine palace in the Graswangtal and a Chinese summer palace in
Tyrol. He withdrew from public life, shirked his duties, and engaged in increasingly eccentric
behavior that earned him the nickname “Mad King Ludwig.” In 1875, he began sleeping during
the day and being active at night. He traveled in elaborate coaches and sleighs, and he dressed in
historical costumes.
8 On June 10, 1886, a government commission declared Ludwig insane, and he was deposed.
On June 12, he was taken into custody and transported to Castle Berg on Lake Starnberg. The
next day, Ludwig and Dr. Bernhard von Gudden, the physician who certified Ludwig as mentally
ill without a psychiatric examination, went for a walk. Their bodies were later found near the lake
shore, with their heads and shoulders above the shallow water. Despite the fact that Ludwig was
known to be a strong swimmer and no water was found in his lungs, his death was recorded as
suicide by drowning. No investigation was ever made into the suspicious circumstances sur-
rounding the two men’s deaths. Ludwig II was interred on June 19 in the crypt at St. Michael’s
Church in Munich.
9 Ludwig II of Bavaria remains to this day an enigma and a source of romance and much
speculation. The subject of biographies and movies, he has become an idealized and tragic figure,
much like a character in a gothic romance novel. One can come to various conclusions about the

Schloss Neuschwanstein: A king and his castle 13

 man, but there is no doubt about his legacy. Seven weeks after Ludwig’s death, Schloss Neu-
schwanstein was opened to the public and since then, it has become a national treasure. Every day
of summer, an estimated 6,000 visitors pay a 12-euro admission to tour Ludwig’s private quarters.
His dream castle has more than repaid any debt that he owed to the state, and Schloss
Neuschwanstein has earned him international respect and admiration.

Vocabulary
EXERCISE

2·1
Organizing vocabulary List the words and phrases from the reading text that
relate to the following categories. An example has been provided for each category.

1. Royalty (9) take the throne, depose ,

monarch enigma

2. Mystery (4) mystique, suspicious , speculation

3. Crazy (4) eccentric, mad mentally ill insane

, .

4. Story (4) saga, legend fantasy fairy tale

,
, . romance novel

5. The arts (6) frescoes, poetry theatre opera , ,

6. Build (6) construction, design , commission ,

establish

7. Architectural style (5) gothic, neo romantic ,

neo
french
8. Fancy (5) lavish, opulent ,
luxury ,
elaborate ,
ornate

14 practice makes perfect Intermediate English Reading and Comprehension

 EXERCISE

2·2
Understanding vocabulary Complete the following chart with the correct forms
of the words from the reading text.
Noun Adjective Verb
1. Indulging Indulgent indulge
2. Monarch reigned reign
3. aloofness distant X
4. commissioned X commission
5. coronation X coronated

6. Deposed X depose
7. Behavior eccentric X
8. enigma enigmatic X
9. heir X inherit

10. Grace of God holy X

11. Interred X inter
12. Financial minister opulent X
13. amenity X X
14. legacy X X
15. mystique mysterious X

EXERCISE

2·3
Using vocabulary For each of the following sentences, choose the appropriate
word from the chart in Exercise 2-2 as a replacement for the underlined word or phrase.
Be sure to use the correct form of each verb and to pluralize nouns, if necessary.

1. Many sacred places are located in the city of Jerusalem.

Holy
2. There is a definite air of mystery surrounding the Egyptian pyramids and the tombs
of the pharaohs.
Mystique
3. The city has contracted with a well-known sculptor to create a statue in honor of the
Queen.
reach an
agreement

Schloss Neuschwanstein: A king and his castle 15

 4. The new hotel and conference center offers a wide range of useful features for business
travelers.
amenities

5. Queen Victoria of England ruled as monarch for 63 years and seven months.
reigned
6. In the past, members of aristocratic families were buried in a large family tomb.
entombed

7. The old lady who lives with 20 cats in the pink and green house is very strange and
unconventional.
bizarre

8. On special occasions such as Christmas and Thanksgiving, people like to gratify their
desires and eat lots of fattening goodies and treats.
greed

9. In Europe, tourists can visit many luxurious castles and theaters.

fancy
10. During the October Revolution in Russia, Czar Nicholas was removed from power and
executed.
deposed
11. In their will, parents name their children as persons entitled to property to their estate.
inherit

12. None of the other students liked the new girl at first, because of her distant and
unsympathetic behavior, but as it turned out, she was only shy.
aloofness
13. The crowning ceremony of kings and queens in Great Britain has always taken place
in Westminster Abbey.
coronation

14. There are many puzzles and paradoxes associated with the story of the lost city of Atlantis.

enigma
15. When Mother Teresa died, she left a gift handed down to future generations of human
kindness and concern for the poor and sick.
legacy

16 practice makes perfect Intermediate English Reading and Comprehension

Reading comprehension
EXERCISE

2· 4
Reading for main ideas Match each of the following statements with the
corresponding paragraph of the reading text.

Paragraph 1 a. Despite his strict upbringing, Ludwig grows into a dreamy-eyed

TI Paragraph 2
Prince Charming.
b. Ludwig’s debts mount and his lifestyle becomes increasingly
A Paragraph 3 eccentric.
c. Schloss Neuschwanstein becomes Ludwig’s lasting legacy.
F- Paragraph 4 d. Ludwig builds Schloss Neuschwanstein as his personal retreat
H Paragraph 5 and homage to Richard Wagner.
e. Ludwig shows more interest in the arts than in his royal duties.
D Paragraph 6 f. A fairy tale castle is created by a fairy tale king.
B g. Ludwig is removed from the throne and dies tragically.
Paragraph 7 h. Ludwig builds his personal kingdom of castles.
i. Ludwig Otto Friedrich Wilhelm becomes Ludwig II of Bavaria.
: Paragraph 8
Paragraph 9

EXERCISE

2· 5
Reading for details Answer each of the following questions with information
from the reading text. Try not to copy directly from the text.

1. What were Ludwig’s main interests?

Poetry and theater

2. Why did Ludwig build such costly and opulent castles?

To turn his fantasies into
reality
3. Why did he build Neuschwanstein?
As personal retreat in the mountains

4. What were some of the castle’s amenities?

central
heating system running cold & hot
,
water , flush toilets ,
etc .

5. How did Ludwig finance the construction of his castles?

He borrowed
heavily banks
from foreign
.

6. Why was Ludwig given the nickname of “Mad King Ludwig”?

He has eccentric behavior .

Schloss Neuschwanstein: A king and his castle 17

 7. What behavior of his earned him this nickname?
He He traveled
began sleeping during the
day and
being active at
nighthistorical
.
in elaborate
coaches and sleighs and he dressed in costumes
8. How did Ludwig die?
,

Suicide by drowning

EXERCISE

2· 6
Reading for facts and figures Choose the boldface word or phrase that correctly
completes each of the following statements.

1. Every year, 6,000 | 1.3 million tourists visit Schloss Neuschwanstein.

2. Schloss Neuschwanstein was used as a model for Cinderella’s | Sleeping Beauty’s
castle at Disneyland.
3. Schloss Neuschwanstein was dedicated to the genius of German composer
Richard Wagner | Ludwig van Beethoven.
4. Only 15 | 200 rooms have been completed in Schloss Neuschwanstein.
5. Schloss Neuschwanstein is located in southern | northern Germany.
6. Admission to Schloss Neuschwanstein costs 12 euros | 12 dollars.
7. Schloss Neuschwanstein was built in the gothic | neoromantic style.
8. Ludwig became king when he was 18 | 28.
9. Ludwig was born in Hohenschwangau | Munich.
10. The baroque royal palace of Herrenchiemsee | Schloss Linderhof was modeled after
the Château de Versailles.

EXERCISE

2·7
Reading for meaning Based on information from the reading text, draw your
own conclusions about Ludwig II. First, choose the boldface word or phrase that correctly
completes each of the following statements. Then, indicate which paragraph in the
reading text contains the relevant information and provides evidence for your
conclusion.

1. Ludwig had | didn’t have many female admirers as a young man.

Paragraph
2. Ludwig wanted | didn’t want to become king.
Paragraph
3. Ludwig was | wasn’t murdered.
Paragraph

18 practice makes perfect Intermediate English Reading and Comprehension

 4. Ludwig was | wasn’t crazy.
Paragraph
5. Ludwig entertained | didn’t entertain large groups of people in his castles.
Paragraph
6. Ludwig was | wasn’t good at managing money.
Paragraph
7. Ludwig was | wasn’t popular with the Bavarian government.
Paragraph
8. Ludwig loved | hated public life.
Paragraph
9. Ludwig was | wasn’t a great king and military leader.
Paragraph
10. Ludwig is | isn’t a popular historical figure today.
Paragraph

Reading skills
EXERCISE

2·8
Summary Construct a timeline of Ludwig II’s life and his castles.

Year Event/milestone
1845
1864
1866
1867

1869
1874
1875
1878
1884
1886

Schloss Neuschwanstein: A king and his castle 19

 Web search and writing
The activities on the next two pages prompt you to share information with a study partner and
to search the Web for more information about famous castles around the world.

Famous castles around the world

ACTIVITY

2·1
Exchange experiences Ask your partner the following questions, and add
a question of your own.

1. Which of the following castles and palaces are you familiar with? Indicate where each
is located.
□ Château de Versailles

□ Schloss Schönbrunn

□ Windsor Castle

□ Castello di Strassoldo di Sopra

□ Forbidden City

□ Himeji Castle

□ Rhodes Castle

□ Krak des Chevalier

□ Bran Castle

□ Gyeongbok Palace

2. What do you think it would be like to live in a castle? What would be some of the
advantages and disadvantages?

3. Your question

Discussion Share your answers with another partner or with the whole group.

20 practice makes perfect Intermediate English Reading and Comprehension

 ACTIVITY

2·2
Search the Web Find information on famous castles around the world, and record
the following details.

Name of castle and location

URL www.
Features and amenities

Name of castle and location

URL www.
Features and amenities

Name of castle and location

URL www.
Features and amenities

ACTIVITY

2·3
Writing Describe the kind of castle you would build if you were King Ludwig II.
Where would it be located, and what amenities would it have?

Schloss Neuschwanstein: A king and his castle 21