T hus began the construction of Schloß Neuschwanstein, which the young king originally named "Neue Burg Hohenschwangau", which was to continue until Ludwig II's untimely death in 1886. The gatehouse block was constructed between 1869 and 1873, and there Ludwig resided until the King's Apartments on the 3rd floor of the "Palas" were ready in 1884. The construction of Neuschwanstein was just one of King Ludwig's extravagances and soon the King was borrowing money to continue the work. His mysterious death in June 1886 ended much of the work at Neuschwanstein, with the huge donjon and Moorish Hall never built, and the Knights' Building never finished. A modified "Kemenate" on the south side of the upper courtyard was built in 1890. Neuschwanstein was opened to the public just 6 weeks after the Bavarian king's death and "Ludwig's Folly" soon became a huge tourist attraction, currently attracting more than 6,000 visitors a day during the summer months. I can only hope my model does it justice.

