Linderhof Palace in the Alps: Guided tours and how to get there

Linderhof Palace at a glance

• Linderhof is the smallest of Bavarian King Ludwig II's three castles and is considered his favorite.
• The castle complex is located near the Upper Bavarian community of Ettal, about an hour's drive from Munich.
• In its symmetrical design, the royal palace is modeled on the French Versailles. The palace park, which can be visited free of charge, is worth seeing on its own.

Architecture and furnishings: a homage to Versailles

Due to the various stages of construction from 1870 to 1886, the palace is based on a tricky spatial arrangement, but it is organized symmetrically:

Most striking are the oval dining and study rooms that flank the entrance hall and bedroom.

As in the apartments at Versailles, the bedroom bed is separated from the rest of the room, allowing for morning and evening audiences.

A special feature is also the tablecloth in the dining room, which could be mechanically lowered into the kitchen and then reappear on the surface, covered.

Outdoor facilities and palace park

The garden in front of the palace is based on a cruciform geometry. It is dominated by a large water basin, whose fountain rises up to 22 meters by natural pressure alone.

In addition, a tour of the palace park reveals a multitude of ornamental buildings in various styles.

Highlights: Guided tours, water games, souvenirs

The interiors of Linderhof Palace can only be visited on a (approximately 25-minute) guided tour. Tours are held continuously in German and English:
April to October 15: daily between 9 am and 6 pm
October 16 to March: daily between 10 am and 4:30 pm

But the free castle park is also worth seeing . In summer, the fountain's water features can be admired every half hour between 9 am and 6 pm.

In the immediate vicinity of Linderhof there is also a castle hotel and a souvenir store with bistro.

How to get there from Munich

By car: Take the A95 and the B2 to Oberau. Then follow the signs to Ettal. After getting to Ettal, turn left onto the ST2060. In Linderhof turn right to the castle, parking spaces are available for a fee. Travel time: approx. 1 hour 30 minutes.

By public transport: By train to Oberammergau train station, from here bus 9622 makes regular trips to Linderhof Castle. Journey time: approx. 2 and a half hours

Tips: What can be done in the vicinity of Linderhof?

• Trace the life of the artist Gabriele Münter in the Münterhaus in Murnau
• View works by Gabriele Münter and from the work of the artists' group "Der Blaue Reiter" in the Murnau Castle Museum
• 45 kilometers away from Linderhof Castle is the Franz Marc Museum in Kochel am See
• Have fun on the bungee trampolines and the summer toboggan run on the Steckenberg mountain

History of Linderhof Palace

The present site of the palace was originally a simple hunting lodge built by Bavarian King Maximilian II, father of Ludwig II. Architect Georg von Dollmann designed a total of seven projects for the new Versailles in Linderhof in 1868/69, but none of them was realized: The Graswang valley turned out to be too narrow for the planned palace building.

It was only after Ludwig II had moved his bolder plans to Herrenchiemsee that the simple farmhouse was gradually transformed into the Linderhof palace and garden complex as a smaller retreat. Despite poor transport routes and inaccessible terrain, construction work was completed in 1878 and Linderhof became the king's favorite castle, where he spent most of his time.