EN:Linderhof Palace

View of the main façade of Linderhof Palace, with the water parterre in front and the Flora Basin. (© Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung (Bavarian Palace Administration), Veronika Freudling, Munich)

by Uwe Gerd Schatz

Located in the Ammergau Alps, Linderhof Palace is one of the most diverse and artistically intricate ensembles of the 19th century. King Ludwig II of Bavaria (1845–1886, r. 1864–1886) had it constructed between 1869 and 1880 by the architect Georg von Dollmann (1830–1895), according to his vision and incorporating the latest technical innovations. The complex is the only construction project that could be completed during Ludwig's lifetime. Within the palace, the Neo-Rococo style is expressed in a phantasmagorical richness that far surpasses all examples from the 18th century. The palace grounds combine elements of Baroque garden design and its magnificent water parterres with the English landscape garden style, featuring romantic structures: the Moroccan House, Moorish Kiosk, Hunding's Hut, Hermitage of Gurnemanz, and the Venus Grotto.

Location and background

The Linderhof (Linder’s Farm), first documented in 1479, was located in the Graswang Valley near Ettal. The Schwaighof was owned by Ettal Abbey and was farmed on until 1815. In that year, the Bavarian state acquired the property and used it as a foal farm for the military stud at Schwaiganger near Murnau. In 1841, Crown Prince Maximilian (1811–1864, King of Bavaria 1848 -1864), the father of Ludwig II (1845–1886, r. 1864 -1886), stayed at the estate for the first time during a hiking trip. The modest outbuilding of the estate, later known as the Königshäuschen (Royal Lodge), also served him repeatedly in the following years as a place to stay during hunting trips. After his accession to the throne in 1848, the lodge was modestly renovated. Ludwig II, who had been familiar with the estate since 1860, acquired the property and large tracts of the valley as private property on 19 May 1869. The stud farm was discontinued.

The painting by Julius Lange (1817-1878) depicts Linderhof Palace in 1872. The Königshäuschen has been given a wood-clad extension. St Anna's Chapel stands on open ground. (© Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung Lucinde Weiss, Munich)
The aerial view shows the central areas of the palace grounds, with the parterres surrounding the palace and the terraces on the opposite side. St Anna's Chapel, not visible here, is situated in the wooded area to the side of the water parterre. (© Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung, Hajo Dietz, Nuremberg)

Architectural inspirations

Imperial Villa in Bad Ischl (Photo: Sigmunds licensed by CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons)

In the 19th century, it became fashionable for the Munich bourgeoisie to spend the summer in in villas in the Bavarian foothills of the Alps, particularly around Lake Starnberg. The royal family also followed this trend, maintaining several residences, including the castles in Berg on Lake Starnberg, the former monasteries of Tegernsee and Berchtesgaden, as well as Hohenschwangau Palace. A direct inspiration for a villa-like summer residence with a landscaped garden in the mountains came from the Viennese notary Josef Eltz (1788-1860), who had one built in Bad Ischl in the 1840s. Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria (1830-1916, r. 1848-1916) acquired this house and had it extensively expanded into his "Imperial Villa" from 1853 onwards. This model is reflected in the naming of Linderhof Palace as a "Royal Villa" at the time. The design of the 19th-century bourgeois villa, with its internal layout and room arrangements, was also inspired by this model. However, the aspirations in the design of the façade and the splendour of the interiors of Linderhof Palace have no further connection with these models.

Behind the grand baroque façade of the palace, a Neo-Rococo style emerges, reflecting the era of the French kings Louis XIV (1638–1715, r. 1643–1715) and Louis XV (1710–1774, r. 1715–1774). The decorative scheme of the rooms is also indebted to the history and figures of the Ancien Régime. However, the stylistic and ornamental elements draw on southern German Rococo from the buildings of the Wittelsbach dynasty.

The model here was the “maison de plaisance,” a small pleasure palace, usually situated in a park, which originated in France in the 18th century and is particularly well-represented in southern Germany with exceptionally elaborate and high-quality examples. These include the Amalienburg, built between 1734 and 1739 in the park of Nymphenburg Palace, and the “Rich Rooms” in the Munich Residence, created between 1730 and 1737, both designed by François de Cuvilliés the Elder(1695–1768) for Elector Karl Albrecht (1697–1745, r. 1726–1745, Holy Roman Emperor from 1742). Both were important influences on the ornamentation, style, and furnishings of the Linderhof rooms, and Ludwig II was familiar with them from childhood. Such rich and intricate ornamentation, especially with so many three-dimensional elements, is not found in French Rococo architecture. At Linderhof Palace, the king created rooms of phantasmagorical opulence that far surpassed all precedents. Second Rococo or Neo-Rococo, a revival of this style, emerged in Austria around 1820 and in France around 1840, but was limited to interior design and decoration. The Neo-Rococo created at Linderhof, however, is uniquely inventive, driven by Ludwig II's intensity and uncompromising vision, and is therefore of unparalleled, authentic quality. His aim was not stylish decoration, but evocation. This fundamentally distinguishes him and his buildings from the historicism of his time.

The Hall of Mirrors in the “Rich Rooms” of the Munich Residence served as the model for the Hall of Mirrors at Linderhof. (© Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung, Rainer Herrmann/Ulrich Pfeuffer/Maria Scherf, Munich)
Design for the Hall of Mirrors at Linderhof Palace by Joseph de la Paix (1852–c. 1906), 1874. (© Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung, Nadler, Munich)

Planning history

Ludwig II’s construction plans for Linderhof began in the autumn of 1868 with a sketch, drawn and labelled by his own hand, of a “chapel” and a “pavilion”. The “chapel” was intended to be a reverent, monumental tribute to the palace chapel at Versailles, while the “pavilion” was conceived as a condensation of the most important state rooms of Versailles, essentially a reduction to the central part of the vast complex. Initially, this “pavilion” was to focus on a residence for the builder himself.

Within the same year, Ludwig II. shifted towards his well-known idealising and reverential direction: to erect this “pavilion” as a “temple to the glory of Louis XIV,” as a monument, rather than as a residence.

Ludwig II’s hand-drawn plan for the Linderhof complex, featuring a pavilion, chapel, and a utility building with stables and a kitchen, from the end of November 1868. (© Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung)
Construction phases of the palace from 1871-1884 (© Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung)
Portrait of King Ludwig II of Bavaria in uniform. Photo from 1867 (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek (Bavarian State Library), picture archive port-008915)
The court architect Georg von Dollmann (1830–1895), a pupil of Leo von Klenze (1784–1864), was the architect of Linderhof Palace. Bust from 1880 by Johann von Halbig (1814–1882). ). (Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen (Bavarian State Portrait Collection) - Neue Pinakothek Munich: WAF B 100 licensed by CC BY-SA 4.0, edited)

Ludwig II thus began planning a separate residence, and Linderhof Palace gradually emerged from this. Its planning and construction history is unique among Ludwig II's buildings in several ways. The initial plans were based on the existing royal lodge of his father, Max II, which was expanded with annexes. In contrast, the other building projects were always based on new constructions. During the building process, the concept did not just shift on a few points, but fundamentally: from a secluded retreat in the natural surroundings of the largely uninhabited Graswang Valley to a piece of representative royal architecture. As a result, the personal development of the king is particularly evident in the evolution of the “Royal Villa” Linderhof project from 1871 onwards.

The same development caused the planned “Tmeicos-Ettal” (an anagram of the motto “L'État, c'est moi,” attributed to Louis XIV), i.e., the original “pavilion” and “chapel,” to grow progressively larger from 1868 to 1873. By 1873, the full scale of the Versailles model had been reached, meaning the complex could no longer fit in the Graswang Valley. In the same year, Ludwig II acquired the island of Herrenchiemsee as a building site, where construction began in 1878 based on the 1873 concept.

In the case of the “Royal Villa,” however, the king's evolving vision is evident not only in the plans but also in the progress of construction. The building expanded in line with the king’s demands. As a result, Ludwig II's creative involvement is most clearly documented in this project. In none of his other projects are there as many notes in his own hand or dictated by him on plans and drafts.

After several structural extensions, the old royal house was demolished in 1874 to make way for a new sequence of rooms and rebuilt 100 metres further along. It was only when all the gradually planned rooms had been completed that the wooden cladding of the palace was replaced by a stone façade. In 1884, the king ordered a significant enlargement of the bedroom, which was structurally completed by 1886, but not in terms of the entire interior. This extended room gave the north façade a pronounced central risalit.

Façade programme

The core of the programme consists of traditional allegories of rulership and sovereign power, often rooted in antiquity, but is further enriched by more recent allegories. At the centre is the Bavarian royal coat of arms, held by two figures of Fama, placed in the gable of the main façade as the emblem of the patron. Crowning the entire façade is a monumental Atlas, bearing the celestial structure, an allegory of both the power and the burden of rulership, a motif known since Hellenism and frequently depicted in the Baroque period. In a simpler form, the herms below, next to the portals that support the balcony, correspond to this. Flanking the coat of arms, at the same height and in pairs, are “Agriculture” and “Commerce,” as well as “Science” and “Industry,” each with their respective attributes. In the central niche below stands an almost life-sized Victoria, the personification of victory, success, and the assertion of power. Above, at the centre, two genii with laurel wreaths further reinforce this theme. In addition, four putti, representing “Music,” “Sculpture,” “Poetry,” and “Architecture,” are placed above the double columns. The arrangement is expanded and enhanced by the niche figures surrounding all of the façades. On the main façade, these figures represent “Teaching,” “Defence,” “Administration,” and “Nourishment”. On the east façade, “Aurora” is depicted, with the monograms “L” on the side balcony grilles referencing her earthly counterpart. Aurora, the goddess of the dawn, previously of lesser significance, was often portrayed as an allegory of rulers in French absolutism because of its ideological connection between ruler and sun. Here, her message is reinforced by the niche figures representing “Peace” and “Bliss”. On the west façade, Apollo stands at the centre, flanked by the two muses Euterpe and Erato. On the north façade, four niche figures embody the virtues of rulership: “Stability,” “Justice,” “Magnanimity,” and “Strength”.

This arrangement specifically complements the antique-Baroque ruler's allegory with elements from the 19th century. “Administration” and “Industry” are new concepts, yet they are presented in the same classical style. In this, Ludwig II clearly drew on the influence of his father and, in particular, his grandfather, Ludwig I (1786-1868, r. 1825-1848), whose public buildings featured similar traditional-innovative combinations of ruler and state allegories.

A special feature is the use of band rustication on all the pilasters and columns; this was most prominent in the late Renaissance and therefore does not align with the required style. This eclecticism is likely due to the fact that the application of rustication, essentially a motif derived from fortifications, was intended to enhance the representation of state and sovereign power across the entire façade, not just at the base level. The façade programme reflects this focus. The façades of Linderhof Palace are thus freely designed using historical motifs. One exception is the central risalit of the main façade, whose design, featuring herms, a volute pediment, the coat of arms, and the crowning Atlas figure, references the Wall Pavilion of the Dresden Zwinger. The decorative gables on the sides there are echoed in Linderhof on the risalits of the side façades.

This pronounced ruler iconography is not typical of a “maison de plaisance”. It is nothing less than a historical depiction of the patron’s reign as a golden age of happiness, wealth, cultural patronage, and prosperity, supplemented by the demands and goals of the modern state system, such as administration, education, and welfare. The fact that such a program is found in a purely private building in a secluded mountain valley, rather than in his seat of government in the royal capital, points solely and unmistakably to the builder, Ludwig II of Bavaria.

Main façade (south façade) with sculpture programme. (Design: Stefan Schnupp; Photo: Diego Delso, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons, edited)
Gable of the main façade with the crowning Atlas figure and the royal coat of arms below. (© Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung, Veronika Freudling, Munich)
The sculptures in the gable area were created by sculptors Theobald Bechler (1834-1881), Philipp Perron (1840-1907), and Franz Walker (1832-1902). (© Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung, Andrea Gruber, Munich)
West façade featuring an Apollo sculpture in the central niche, with the west parterre and Fama Fountain in the foreground. (© Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung, Veronika Freudling, Munich, edited)
East façade featuring an Aurora sculpture and the eastern parterre with a Venus and Adonis scultpure group. (© Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung, Konrad Rainer, Salzburg, edited)
North façade of Linderhof Palace. Viewed from the cascade on the northern slope, with the terraced gardens and the round temple with Venus in the background. (© Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung, Veronika Freudling, Munich)

Rooms

The commissioned court architect, Georg von Dollmann (1830–1895), was first tasked with designing a small, symmetrical, three-part suite of rooms featuring an enfilade, comprising an oval central room and two adjoining horseshoe-shaped smaller rooms or “cabinets” (Pink Cabinet, Dining Room, and Blue Cabinet), in accordance with the client's growing wishes. Shortly after its completion in November 1870, this sequence of rooms was replicated on the opposite side of the developing palace (Yellow Cabinet, Audience Room, and Purple Cabinet). A bedroom subsequently connected the two northern wings. Access was provided via an external staircase and through the Königshäuschen. It was only after the old cottage was dismantled and relocated in 1874, and a larger three-part suite of rooms was added to the south part of the palace by 1877 (comprising the Western Tapestry Room, the Eastern Tapestry Room, and the centrally positioned Hall of Mirrors), that a coherent interior layout became possible. The previous "cour,” a narrow inner courtyard, was replaced by a double-flight staircase serving as the central access point to the now-encompassing suite of rooms on the upper floor. Functional spaces were added on either side of the two entrance rooms, the vestibule and the staircase anteroom. These included day rooms for servants and adjutants, a modern kitchen, storage rooms, heating systems, and the mechanism for the “Tischlein-deck-dich” (Wishing Table) table elevator serving the dining room above. In the northern section, a dressing room and the king's bathroom, adorned with paintings of Venus bathing with nymphs, were installed. The bathwater was supplied directly to the palace via a drinking water pipe and heated in a dedicated oven. These rooms were also accessible from the rear of the palace through a door in the north façade and a concealed door within the wall panelling behind the first staircase landing. The bathroom is connected to the bedroom above via a spiral staircase.

Floor plans of the ground floor and main floor of Linderhof Palace, 1891. (Image from: Blätter für Architektur und Kunsthandwerk 4 (1891), Heft 11, 47)
Vestibule with equestrian statue of Louis XIV (copy after François Girardon, 1628–1715). The ceiling features the Sun King's motto "Nec Pluribus Impar". (© Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung, Maria Scherf / Andrea Gruber, Munich)
Western Tapestry Room with scenes painted on coarse canvas after François Watteau (1758–1823). On the left is an aeolodicon (wind harmonica). (© Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung, Rainer Herrmann/Ulrich Pfeuffer/Maria Scherf, Munich)
Yellow Cabinet, whose wall panelling with silver elements is modelled on the bedroom of the Amalienburg. (© Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung, Maria Scherf / Andrea Gruber, Munich)
Audience Room with an oval floor plan and the original historical carpet. Room design from 1870/71 by Christian Jank (1833-1888), based on an example by Juste-Aurèle Meissonnier (1695-1750). (© Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung, Rainer Herrmann/Ulrich Pfeuffer/Maria Scherf, Munich)
The first bedroom was furnished according to a design by Franz Seitz (1817-1883) until 1872. On the right, through the open door, one can see one of the White Cabinets, which were destroyed during the renovation in 1884. Parts of the furnishings were dismantled and later donated to the Bayerisches Nationalmuseum (Bavarian National Museum). Since 1986, these furnishings have been displayed at the Ludwig II Museum in Herrenchiemsee Palace. Photo by Joseph Albert (1825-1886). (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, picture archive port-018919)
In 1884, the bedroom was enlarged and remodelled in the style of the parade bedroom of the Rich Room in the Munich Residence. When the king died in 1886, the remodelling was still incomplete, and some of the original furnishings were reinstalled. (© Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung, Rainer Herrmann/Ulrich Pfeuffer/Maria Scherf, Munich)
Oval dining room with "Tischlein-deck-dich” based on a design by Franz von Seitz (1817-1883). (© Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung, Tanja Mayr/Rainer Herrmann, Munich)
Technical construction of the “Tischlein-deck-dich on the ground floor. (© Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung, Maria Scherf, Munich)
Hall of Mirrors designed by Georg von Dollmann and Joseph de la Paix in 1874. In front of the resting alcove, there is a table with a pietra dura top, and on the right, a desk with inset porcelain paintings. (© Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung, Rainer Herrmann/Ulrich Pfeuffer/Maria Scherf, Munich)

Iconology

Ludwig II had an even greater influence on the design of the interiors than on the façades. His library demonstrates the richness and breadth of his studies. It includes engravings and portfolios from the 18th and 19th centuries, historical and art-historical treatises, writings on art theory, as well as historical novels. Additionally, the king commissioned architectural surveys and photographs when no illustrations were available, or when existing images were not sufficiently informative. Alongside French palace buildings, primarily Versailles, this collection also contains the royal residences of Ansbach, Bamberg, Bruchsal, and Schwetzingen (both in Baden-Württemberg), Augustusburg near Brühl (North Rhine-Westphalia), Würzburg, as well as Sanssouci Palace and the Dresden Zwinger, some of which can be traced back to relatives, i.e., the Wittelsbach family.

Linderhof Palace and its furnishings do not follow a consistent thematic room program. The frequent erotic depictions and themes, not only in the bedroom, reflect the revered era of the Ancien Régime. The portraits of courtly figures in the four Cabinets were specifically chosen by the patron and served to bring to life and personalise the "historical" rooms. Another focal point, serving a similar function but with a stronger element of evocation, is the series of historical scenes depicting the political actions of the Bourbon kings Louis XIV, Louis XV, and Louis XVI (1754–1793, r. 1774–1793). The ruler and rulership iconography of the 18th century is applied, as seen on the façades, but in a more extensive manner: through allegories that symbolically integrate secular rule into the God-created world order, such as the seasons, continents, zodiac signs, and elements; and through allegories of royal virtues and positive themes of rulership, such as science, art, peace, and prosperity. In the Audience or Study Room, where only a few audiences took place but where one of the main activities of a constitutional monarch—the processing of official documents—occurred, the traditional ruler allegory borrowed from the Ancien Régime is clearly supplemented by contemporary and personal elements. The canopy displays the crown, coat of arms, and insignia of Bavaria as well as Ludwig II’s insignia, thereby positioning Ludwig II himself directly within the continuity of his revered role models.

Purple Cabinet at Linderhof Palace with historical carpet. Room design by the theatrical painter Christian Jank (1833-1888), 1871. On the wall are pastel portraits of Louis XV (centre) and Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson, Marquise de Pompadour (1721-1764) (right). The furniture was crafted by Anton Pössenbacher (1842-1920). (© Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung, Schöning, Gebr. Schmidt)
Lunette painting "Versailles" by Christian Jank (1833-1888) and Joseph Watter (1838-1913) in the Audience Room. (© Fokus Leipzig / © Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung, Achim Bunz, Munich)
Throne canopy and desk in the Audience Room. Photograph from 1890 (Illustration from: Pigment-Drucke der königl. Schlösser zu Chiemsee, Linderhof, Munich 1890, p. 67)

The park

The palace park combines elements of the Italian Renaissance garden, the French Baroque garden, and the English landscape garden. The terraces with water basins along the central and transverse axes of the palace, the geometric flowerbeds, the long cascade with figural fountains, and the two focal points—the pavilion and the Temple of Venus—are inspired by Renaissance and Baroque designs. The surrounding park's natural, irregular layout, with its exotic buildings, is based on 19th-century English models (picturesque garden).

These park buildings are partly inspired by the oriental fashion that Ludwig II also embraced: the Moroccan House and the Moorish Kiosk, and partly by Ludwig's enthusiasm for the music dramas of Richard Wagner (1813-1883). Specifically, three stage sets were erected in the park: Hunding's Hut (Act 1 of Die Walküre (The Valkyrie)), Hermitage of Gurnemanz (Act 3 of Parsifal), and Venus' Grotto (Act 1 of Tannhäuser).

The Moroccan House was originally placed in a clearing in the mountain forest high above Linderhof. After Ludwig II's death, it was dismantled and sold. Following its repurchase in 1994, it was relocated to its current position in the park. Hunding's Hut and Hermitage were located in the Ammerwald forest near the border with Tyrol. After the king's death, they became popular excursion destinations. The Hunding's Hut was destroyed by fire in 1945, and the Hermitage fell into disrepair during the 1960s. Both buildings were reconstructed at their current site in the park; the Hunding's Hut was completed in 1990, and the Hermitage in 2000.

The artificial Venus Grotto is integrated into the mountainous surroundings above the palace in such a way that it is not visible from the outside. Built in 1876/77 exactly according to Wagner's stage directions, it contains a large painted backdrop depicting the erotic scene of the Venusberg (Mountain of Venus) from the opera Tannhäuser. To provide the blue and red lighting demanded by the king, one of Bavaria's first [[Elektrizitätsversorgung und Elektrifizierung|power plants] was constructed. The nearby Moorish Kiosk was also fitted with electric lighting.

The transitions to the natural mountain forest are seamless, and it is fully integrated into the park. Kilometres of pathways extend further into the mountains. The mountains are incorporated into this ingenious work of art through carefully designed, alternating vistas of the surrounding peaks. The park serves as a creative compendium of centuries of European garden design, making it one of the most intricate and high-quality park landscapes of the 19th century.

First draft of the garden layout in an early construction phase, before the Königshäuschen was demolished. The later Court Gardener Carl von Effner (1831-1884) designed the immediate surroundings of the palace around 1872/74. The east and west parterres were executed according to his design. Ludwig II personally ennobled Effner for this park. ([https://www.schloesser.bayern.de © Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung, Gardens Department)
Design for the entire palace park (around 1874), featuring the central French-style areas around the palace, the Italian terraced gardens, and the surrounding English landscape park that transitions into the mountain forests. The cascade and the Moorish Kiosk are not yet included in the plan (© Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung)
View from the palace towards the water parterre with the figure group "Flora and Putti”. The fountain reaches a height of 22 metres. Behind it are the terraced gardens on the Linderbichl, with the Nereid Fountain and the Temple of Venus. (© Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung, Maria Scherf, Munich)
The so-called Königslinde (Royal Lime Tree), a tree over 300 years old, opposite the palace in the terraced gardens, was preserved at the king's request and incorporated into the park. It was provided with an outdoor seating area with steps, where the king could dine. The seating area is still visible in the photograph by Max Beckert (1860-1919) from 1890/1900. Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, picture archive ansi-003032
The music pavilion is located on the northern slope behind the castle. Below it extends a cascade system that culminates in the Neptune Fountain. The complex was restored in 2023. (© Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung, Heiko Oehme)
The Moroccan House originally served as a pavilion at the World Exhibition in Vienna in 1873. The king acquired it in 1878 and had it erected on the Stockalpe near the Tyrolean border. In 1891, it was sold to Oberammergau and served as a garden house there before being reacquired in 1980 and placed in the palace park in 1998. The photo, taken around 1886 by Georg Stuffler (ca. 1839-1899), shows the house at its original location. (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, picture archive port-017280)
The Moorish Kiosk was built in 1867 for the World Exhibition in Paris. Ludwig II acquired it in 1876 and had it erected in the palace park, where it was extended by the niche with the peacock throne (in the background). (© Picture archive Photo Marburg / (Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung / Rose Hajdu)
The Hundinghütte refers to the stage set of the first act of the opera “Die Walküre” by Richard Wagner (1813–1883). It was built in 1876/77 in the Ammerwald forest near the border with Tyrol. Ludwig II used it for Germanic festivals. After the king's death, it was opened to the public. It was destroyed by arson in 1945 and reconstructed on the edge of the palace park in 1990. (© Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung, Konrad Rainer, Salzburg)
The Hermitage of Gurnemanz refers to a stage set in Wagner's opera “Parsifal”. The king used the place particularly on Good Fridays for devotions and prayers, and also as a retreat for reading. The Hermitage fell into disrepair during the 1960s. It was reconstructed in the palace park in 2000. The photograph by Georg Stuffler (ca. 1839–1899) shows the Hermitage at its original location in the Ammerwald forest in 1886. (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, picture archive port-017280)
The Venus Grotto was constructed in 1876/77 as an artificial structure on the northern slope of the Hennenkopf above the palace. The grotto was designed to replicate both the Blue Grotto of Capri and the Venus Grotto from the opera Tannhäuser by Richard Wagner (1813–1883). Ludwig II dined and bathed in the grotto and sailed on the artificial lake in the preserved shell boat, while the electric lighting was able to create different colour effects. (© Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung, Lucinde Weiss, Munich)
The electricity for the lighting in the grotto was generated in an existing powerhouse above it. It was one of the first power plants in Bavaria. The photograph from 1885 shows the interior of the powerhouse. (Deutsches Museum (German Musuem), Munich, Archive, BN09786)

Projects

Ludwig II had additional projects planned in the Graswang Valley. A theatre was to be built in place of the Temple of Venus, with an interior modelled after the Old Residence Theatre in Munich. High in the Ammerwald forest, the Hubertus Pavilion was constructed based on the design of the Amalienburg in the Nymphenburg Palace Park. It reached the shell stage before being demolished unfinished after Ludwig's death in 1886. A grand Byzantine palace was planned as early as 1869, and again in 1885. Starting in 1886, a project for a Chinese summer palace on the banks of the Plansee, already located in Tyrol, was added.

Design for the Hubertus Pavilion by Julius Hofmann (1840-1896), 1886. Ludwig II Museum, Herrenchiemsee. (© Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung)
Design for the Byzantine project of Linderhof Palace. Overall view with basilica and chapel by Georg von Dollmann, circa 1869. (© Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung, Nadler, Munich)

Later history

Visitors in front of Linderhof Palace circa 1960. Photo: Georg Fruhstorfer (1915-2003). (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, picture archive fruh-16571)

On 1 August 1886, Linderhof was opened to the public in order to more rapidly pay off Ludwig’s personal debts. The construction of the railway line to nearby Oberammergau (opened in 1900) significantly boosted visitor numbers to Linderhof. Under Prince Regent Luitpold (1821-1912, Prince Regent from 1886), the Graswang Valley was once again used for hunting, a practice that had been prohibited there under Ludwig II. Luitpold used the Königshäuschen as a hunting retreat during his stays, while the adjacent palace remained open for public tours. In 1918, the Linderhof palace complex was transferred to the Free State of Bavaria and has since been managed by the former Crown Estate Administration, which became the Bavarian Palace Administration in 1932. Linderhof has been a popular destination for mass tourism since the 1960s. Between 1886 and 2013, 40 million visitors have toured the castle. In 2018 alone, there were 437,122 visitors. Since the 1990s, all parts of the palace complex have been continuously restored.

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Jean Louis Schlim, Ludwig II. Traum und Technik, München 2. Aufl. 2010.

Sources

Führer durch das Königliche Schloss Linderhof. München 1886.

Further Research

External Links

Cite

Uwe Gerd Schatz, Linderhof Palace, published 01 July 2024, English version published 26 February 2025; in: Historisches Lexikon Bayerns, URL: <https://www.historisches-lexikon-bayerns.de/Lexikon/EN:Linderhof_Palace> (17.03.2025)

EN