Day 21 Chiemsee

Weather 7-22

"Chiemsee is a lake in Bavaria, Germany. The lake’s largest island, Herreninsel, or Men’s Island, is crossed with nature trails. It’s home to unfinished Herrenchiemsee Palace, built by King Ludwig II and today housing the King Ludwig II Museum. An Augustinian monastery is nearby. The 8th-century Benedictine convent Frauenwörth, with its Gothic bell tower, is on the smaller Fraueninsel, or Women’s Island". Google.

Up at a reasonable hours and on the road to Prien am Chiemsee where the cruise boats depart.

First stop Herrenchiemsee to walk the island and see the palace.

Ludwig II of Bavaria was a most interesting fellow. Ascending the throne at only 18 he was probably not suited to rule as a constitutional monarch being a little on the absolute monarchy scale and more interested in artistic pursuits. He called his mother "my predecessor's partner" just to give you a taste.
He bankrupted himself building Neuschwanstein Castle (New Swanstone Castle), the classic Disney castle you have all seen and was never completed. He added Linderhof in 1878 and Herrenchiemsee, a partial replica of the Palace of Versailles.
This is the one we got to see. Additionally, there were a couple of other castles and monumental theatres planned. It's good to be King except where it isn't. He was depose by cabal of his cabinet ministers in 1886 on trumpted up charges of insanity.
Three psychiatrists , two who had never met him signed the papers! One of them, Gudden, was with him on a walk along a lake when they both died. Officially for Ludwig by drowning although he had no water in his lungs. Pick your own conspiracy theory.

Back at Herrenchiemsee, only 20 of the 70 rooms were ever completed, it required 9 million bricks, any number of statues, three enormous fountains and was all as a homage to Louis XIV who was Ludwig's idol.
When he wanted to walk in the Hall of Mirrors gallery it took 20,000 candles and 8hrs to prepare. He liked to wander at night and thought of himself as the "Moon King" vs Louis the "Sun King."
Maybe Dr Gudden was right.
Still a fantastic place even if we commoners were never supposed to

see. He spent 10 days in residence in total.
Building work was difficult even when you are King.

Next island is Fraueninsel which is only 10mins by ferry and is home to a Benedictine Abbey of nuns, three restaurants and about 200 people. Absolutely lovely and if the water didn't freeze your feet off it would be agreat place for a summer swim.

Fortified by a late, large lunch and a unnecessary ice cream it was back to Munich in the barge under Sean's expert pilotage.

Fantastic week end and really grateful for the chance to see this part of Bavaria.

Early night and not even a drink.