9 Facts About Linderhof Palace

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

1. Linderhof is the smallest of the three palaces King Ludwig II built, the other two being Herrenchiemsee and Neuschwanstein.

2. On the exact location where Linderhof stands once existed the so-called Königshäuschen, which Ludwig II inherited from his father when he ascended to the throne in 1864. He started expanding the building five years later, and tore it down in 1874 to make a new one. The new rococo style building had an added staircase and three new rooms, and the original wooden exterior was replaced with stone façades. Also, three different kinds of marble were used all throughout Linderhof.

3. An astounding sum of 8, 460, 937 marks was spent in creating the palace.

Music Pavilion. Image: Wikimedia

Moorish Kiosk

4. Linderhof was loosely patterned from Versailles, the palace of King Ludwig II’s idol, Louis the Great. The former’s staircase, for one, is the smaller version of the latter’s infamous Ambassador’s Staircase.

5. The sun symbols found in some parts of the palace such as the vestibule’s ceiling is a representation of the absolutism of the French monarchy, which Ludwig deeply admired.

6. The palace’s bedroom is the largest chamber in all of Linderhof. Facing north, it symbolizes Ludwig’s self-confessed image as the “Moon King”, which is in contrast with his idol’s moniker, “Sun King”.

Ludwig II's peacocks at Linderhof. Image: Wikimedia

The Venus Grotto. Image: Wikimedia

Inside the Moorish Kiosk. Image: Wikimedia 

7. Out of his love for trees, a 300-year-old linden tree was allowed to remain where it had stood in the formal gardens despite ruining the area’s symmetry.

8. The Gurnemanz Hermitage was where Ludwig would religiously go to contemplate every Good Friday of each year. He always wanted a flowering meadow on that very day, so if there was not one in sight due to snow, the garden director would plant one just for the king.

9. Linderhof is the only one of his three palaces he lived to see fully completed.