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Herrenchiemsee
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The last of Ludwig's three castles to be built is certainly the most flamboyant. Herrenchiemsee is an incredible replica of Versailles, sitting on an island in the middle of an alpine lake. It is an amazing site, especially after visiting the real Versailles.
Inspiration
When Ludwig visited Paris in 1867, he undertook an excursion to Versailles, the great Palace of the Kings of France. Here he was struck with an obsession for the Bourbon Kings of France, an obsession that grew as he matured. When Linderhof turned into a Royal Villa rather than the 'New Versailles' that he wanted to create, Ludwig looked elsewhere for a suitable site for this cherished dream. He found the site in the form of an island in the Chiemsee, Bavaria's largest lake. He bought the island in 1873, and after another visit to Paris to study Versailles, designs were drawn up, once again mainly by Christian Jank, Franz Seitz, and Georg Dollman.
Building
The foundation stone was laid on 31 May, 1878, and so all three castles were at some stage of construction simultaneously. Many of the interior decorations - mainly the fabrics - had been ordered years before, as the interiors were worked out before the exterior. Perhaps this was because the model for the exterior already existed.
One of the most remarkable aspects of Herrenchiemsee is the fact that so much was done in such a short time. Although it reached it's current appearance shortly after Ludwig's death, it was more or less completed by 1885; seven years after the foundation staone was laid. This was also at a time when money was quickly running out! For as one can imagine, Herrenchiemsee cost a lot of money. One only need look at the interior to see this. But contrary to what people believe, Ludwig did not bankrupt the country building his castles, as he paid for them from his own pocket. Funds were, nonetheless, running very low by the time Herrenchiemsee was nearing a reasonable state of completion.
A monument to the Bourbons
As Ludwig grew older, he became more and more obsessed with the idea of Absolute Monarchy. As he lost actual power as a King, in his dreams his power increased until he became an Absolute Monarch, like Louis XIV, whom he almost worshipped. The 'New Versailles' was seen by Ludwig as a monument to the 'Age of Absolutism' ie. the 17th and 18th cent., when a King held supreme power over everyone in his kingdom, and no-one dared challenge the word of His Majesty.
'Versailles' completed
By 1885 the palace was completed enough for Ludwig to finally fulfil his life-long dream and live in his own Versailles. But after all the effort in building the palace, he only stayed here for a total of sixteen days.
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