Difficulty: Summiteer (Level 3)
In the alpine region of Bavaria, southern Germany, lie four grand palace complexes built by King Ludwig II between 1864 and 1886. Now, Unesco has declared these famed fairy tale-like castles a World Heritage site.
Neuschwanstein, Linderhof, Schachen and Herrenchiemsee are being recognised for their architectural and cultural significance. The Unesco World Heritage Committee made its decision during its 47th session in Paris.
Construction began at Neuschwanstein in 1869, but the project was never completed. Building work halted when the Bavarian king died in 1886.
The 19th-century castle is now one of the most popular tourist sites in Germany, receiving roughly 1.4 million visitors per year. It inspired the Walt Disney Pictures castle logo after Walt Disney visited in the 1950s.
“For our fairy-tale castles, a fairy tale comes true,” said Bavarian minister-president Markus Soeder.
