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Füssen
The 700-year-old town of Füssen, nestled in the idyllic foothills of the Alps, is charming indeed. Its well-preserved and impressive medieval old town rises high above the Lech river. Located at the southern end of the Romantic Road in a region of Bavaria called Allgäu, Füssen is the highest town in Bavaria (800-1200 meters above sea level) and just 3 miles (5 km) from the Austrian border.
Füssen is a popular overnight spot for tourists wishing to see two of Bavaria's most popular attractions, Neuschwanstein Castle and Hohenschwangau Castle. It is also not far from Linderhof Palace and Weis Church (Weiskirche). The town of Füssen is very close to Austria and some tourists opt to spend the night in Reutte - just across the border.
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Füssen's landmark, the Hohes Schloss (High Castle), sits on a high rock and overlooks the village. Hohes Schloss is one of Bavaria's largest and best-preserved Gothic castle complexes, and is the former summer residence and fortress of the prince bishops of Augsburg. The area that used to be the bishops living quarters now holds a branch of the Bavarian State Collections of Paintings, showcasing Bavarian art from late Gothic and Renaissance periods.
Situated below the High Castle is the beautiful baroque compex of the former Benedictine monastery of St. Mang - Füssen's patron saint. Holy Magnus is credited with bringing Christianity to the region in the 8th century. Many areas of the complex can be toured, including the church, the Füssen Heritage Museum, and the Anna chapel.
Füssen Old Town contains numerous monuments, old houses, churches, and shops. Take a walk along main street, or Reichenstraße (Reichenstrasse) - a cobblestone street that follows the old Roman road and is lined with houses from the Middle Ages, many of which have towering gables. Also take a walk along the river Lech that flows alongside the village. If possible, save some time to explore the beautiful nature, including several lakes, in the countryside surrounding Füssen.
Füssen is one of the oldest cultural centers in Europe. Füssen was a strategic settlement in Roman times and was located on the Via Claudia Augusta - an ancient and very important Roman road built in the first century, which crossed the Alps and linked together present day southwest Germany with northern Italy.
Füssen has a fine website with lots of information. Click on the English flag for the English version. Regular and special tours of the town, museum, and churches are available. In addition, over 124 miles (200 km) of hiking paths exist in the Füssen area, along with cycling, paragliding, ballooning, gliding, wind surfing, riding, golf, and other recreational opportunities.
Besides the famous castles described below, one of the most beautiful Rococo churches in the world, Wieskirche, is quite close to Füssen. Also called "The Church in the Meadow," Wieskirche is a true anchitectural wonder. Go to the Wieskirche webpage for information about the church, pictures, and a link to the official Wieskirche website.
The three popular castles are listed below, along with their official websites:
Hohenschwangau Castle official website. Castles had stood in this location since medieval times, but they eventually crumbled. In 1839, a Bavarian Crown Prince, the future King Maximilian II, decided to rebuild the splendid Hohenschwangau Castle. Though not such a "fairy tale" castle as Neuschwanstein, it is very much worth a visit. Hohenschwangau Castle was the childhood home of the colorful King Ludwig II and his brother Otto - who spent their childhoods living at Hohenschwangau.
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Neuschwanstein Castle official website. This is the famous castle upon which Disney patterned its Magic Kingdom castle. Neuschwanstein Castle was built in its idyllic setting from 1869 to 1886 by King Ludwig II. The king only briefly occupied the castle as he mysteriously died later in 1886. The castle was fashioned as a medieval knight's castle in the 12th/13th-century style. It is one of the most popular castles in Europe and hosts over 1.3 million visitors each year.
Linderhof Palace official website. King Ludwig II had many excursions as a child to the Graswang Valley, as his father, King Maximilian II, owned a hunting lodge in Linderhof. King Ludwig II completed the building of Linderhof Palace in 1878. It was built in the French Rococo style. It was the only palace that King Ludwig II actually completed and occupied.