Elaborate castle built on a rock ledge over the Pöllat Gorge in the Bavarian Alps, near Füssen, Ger.
Begun in 1869 at the behest of Bavaria's Louis II , this lavish stronghold is an eccentric romantic reconstruction of a medieval castle, complete with a walled courtyard, indoor garden, towers, and an artificial cave. Its two-story throne room is modeled after a Byzantine basilica. Wall paintings depict scenes from Richard Wagner 's operas.