The castle combines an eclectic mix of architectural styles (Image: Getty)
is dotted all over with beautiful castles that draw in millions of visitors.
The continent’s monarchs and aristocrats spared no expense in creating their ideal residences.
Perhaps the world’s most beautiful castle, though, is located in southern .
Neuschwanstein Castle is located at the southern end of the just outside the village of Schwangau.
Drawing room in Neuschwanstein Castle (Image: Getty)
Nestled in the at the top of a rugged hill, the castle was commissioned by “mad king” Ludwig II in 1868, and was completed in 1892.
It was built as an ode to his favourite composer, Richard Wagner, and its design was based on sketches by Christian Jank, a stage painter who worked for the famous musician.
The castle combines an eclectic mix of architectural styles, including Romanesque, Gothic, and Byzantine.
However, it is probably best known as being the inspiration for Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle.
The theme park’s iconic centrepiece was based on sketches done by when he visited Neuschwanstein Castle with his wife.
The castle is located in breathtaking scenery (Image: Getty)
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Ludwig broke the bank to build his dream home, coughing up 6.2 million gold marks – roughly the equivalent of £39 million in today#s money.
He refuse to use public funds to pay for its construction, and instead accumulated a massive debt that threatened to bankrupt not only him, but the state of Bavaria.
His ministers and relatives declared him insane and incapable of ruling, whereupon he was arrested and taken to Berg Castle on Lake Starnberg.
A few days later he died in mysterious circumstances, adding more intrigue to the story.
On his death, Ludwig’s castles were seized and opened to the public as museums.
Neuschwanstein opened just seven weeks after his death, with only 14 of the more than 200 planned rooms completed.
Today, the castle attracts more than 1.4 million visitors each year, which is around 4,000 per day.