Schloss Berg — Attraction in Berg

Berg Castle is a manor house situated on the east shore of Lake Starnberg in the village of Berg in Upper Bavaria, Germany. It is famous as the site of King Ludwig II of Bavaria's death. Today, it remains home to the head of the house of Wittelsbach, currently Franz, Duke of Bavaria.

Ferdinand Maria, Elector of Bavaria, acquired a piece of land on the shores of Lake Starnberg in 1676 from the Horwarth family and ordered the construction of Berg Castle. Ferdinand used it for festivities, but it reached its zenith under his successors, elector Max Emanuel and Emperor Charles VII, when it was the scene of spectacular entertainments and hunts.

Between 1849 and 1851 King Maximilian II instructed the architect Eduard Riedel to redesign the castle in Neo-Gothic style, with added crenellations and four towers, for which the king bought additional land. (Maximilian's son Ludwig II of Bavaria had a fifth tower constructed, which he called "Isolde"). In 1853 Maximilian had a small private harbour built.

Ludwig II used the castle as his summer residence, moving here regularly every year on 11 May and performing the business of state from it. For this purpose he had a telegraph connection installed between the castle and Munich.

In 1868 the Czarina of Russia Maria Alexandrovna visited Berg at the King's invitation. Ludwig gave her the castle to live in for the duration of her visit and had it magnificently decorated for the occasion: the castle was otherwise, by Ludwig's standards, rather modestly appointed.

The surrounding park had been treated by his predecessors in the fashions of the times, from a Baroque formal garden to an English landscaped garden. Ludwig had the "Moorish Kiosk" set up here which Franz von Seitz had designed and built for the Winter Garden on the roof of the Munich Residenz.

On 12 June 1886, Ludwig, who shortly before had been declared medically incapable of ruling, with his uncle Luitpold appointed as Regent, was transported to Berg Castle. On June 13 he was found dead, floating in the shallow waters of Lake Starnberg near the shore, with his doctor Bernhard von Gudden. The deaths remain unexplained, despite an official explanation of drowning. A votive chapel and a memorial cross set in the lake form a memorial.

After the king's death the castle became a museum and in 1939 was declared a monument, as it had not been changed since Ludwig's death, and had thus acquired not only a historical but also a cultural significance.

After World War II, the castle was occupied by American soldiers, who damaged it severely, compounding previous damage caused by the war, especially to the corner towers. It was repaired and completely renovated from 1949 to 1951; the corner towers were entirely removed and the building was restored on the basis of what it had been before Maximilian's intervention, although the chapel was left. Albrecht, Duke of Bavaria then moved in and used it as his main residence until his death in 1996, upon which his eldest son Franz followed him as head of the House of Wittelsbach. However, Franz decided to live in Munich instead, where he occupies a wing of Nymphenburg Palace, but uses Berg Castle as his...

Place is private property and is not open to the public save your money and go to his castle in Füssen instead, disappointed. Unless you like the forest or his lake your family will be let down.

For those who are confused: you clicked on the castle and not the memorial or forest. Sadly this castle is not accessible and my time was wasted looking for a way in: other reviewers should take note when making reviews that the castle is not the same location.

If this was publicly accessible i would have likely given a more fair review of the aesthetic grandeur of the ancient architecture. But since it can't be accessed and is not viewable then I left a review based on an easily missed sign near the castle.

Also, it is rather hazardous when it comes to the public footpath you're on a steep slope to get there and the forest seems to be the only way the property in question would had normally been accessible. For others who are coming here it would be my personal suggestion not to look round the gated community and just stick to the forest path as it is very steep here with cars and bikers everywhere you'll find yourself having to stop quite often.

As I experienced that day there was no such luck getting there and considering how long I journeyed to be left confused and slightly disappointed that little care was put to illustrate that there was no public access I think I left a fair review.

Should the castle become publicly accessible maybe my review would change: but for those seeking a look around the property is not open for that and so I cannot give a fair assessment of the castle nor can I recommend a visit to the castle specifically as its nothing more than a faraway picture for those who cannot access.

If your family is here to pay respects to ludwig or visit the lake then the memorial further down the forest path is what you seek: not the gated up home of someone else who owns the property.

This review is not in disrespect to the property owner but an observable fact that people will travel a while to this location looking around confused at the gated exterior thinking the enterance is elsewhere.

I do encourage the owner to make this place accessible one day or to perhaps make sure there are better signs in place so tourists are not bothering residents about a castle...

Der Ort hat eine sehr große historische Bedeutung: In Berg liegen ein Schloss der Wittelsbacher und der Park mit der Gedächtniskapelle zu Ehren von König Ludwig II. Denn er ist hier auf mysteriöse Weise im Jahr 1886 verstorben.

Wenn man aus München kommt, ist der Radweg durch das Würmtal und -moor über Buchendorf, Leutstetten und villla rustica bei schönem Wetter zu empfehlen. Ab Percha kann man wunderbar am See entlang fahren und ist nach etwa 10 km in Berg.

Wer mit dem Auto kommt, findet hoffentlich einen Parkplatz vor dem Schloß-Hotel und auch einen Platz zum Essen und Trinken auf der seeseitigen Terrasse des Hotels. Das soll besagen, dass es an manchen Tagen und Zeiten schwierig ist, einen...