The European Court of Justice (EJC) ruled on Thursday that Bavaria is allowed to trademark Neuschwanstein Castle and use it as a brand.

The court rejected an appeal by a German network of souvenir producers (BSGE) that hoped the EU's top court would reject the trademark for the famous fairy-tale castle.

The association argued that the name "Neuschwanstein" indicates a geographical location and can therefore not be trademarked.

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Under EU law, trademarks that exclusively refer to the place where goods are manufactured are excluded from registration. The law particularly protects manufacturers from misrepresenting the origins of certain products like wine, spirits and certain foods.

In their decision, the ECJ wrote that Neuschwanstein Castle "could be geographically located, but not regarded as a geographical place." Instead, the castle is most like a museum and serves to preserve cultural heritage.

The judges also added that the BSGE was not able to prove that the state of Bavaria applied for the trademark "in bad faith."

King Ludwig II of Bavaria and his castles Neuschwanstein Castle Hardly four years into his reign, Ludwig II designed his first castle in 1868 at age 23. Today Neuschwanstein is Germany's most famous castle and a real tourist magnet with some 1.4 million visitors annually. This replica of a medieval castle towers above the town of Schwangau in the Allgäu mountains.

King Ludwig II of Bavaria and his castles The Concert Hall This is the largest room in the Neuschwanstein Castle. Inspired by the original in Wartburg Castle, Ludwig had it decorated with scenes from medieval legends. It provided a regal setting for large parties and musical events. Today visitors can enjoy the annual castle concerts.

King Ludwig II of Bavaria and his castles Linderhof Palace This was the shy monarch's favorite retreat. Linderhof is the smallest of his three residences. It was supposed to be a replica of Versailles but the plot was too small. Instead it became a Rococo style palace. Linderhof is celebrating the royal birthday in a romantic way with candles and light shows.

King Ludwig II of Bavaria and his castles Venus Grotto Ludwig II devoted a special room to music in the palace. But only the king and his close companions were allowed access to the room. Ludwig used to come here to listen to opera arias. The artificial grotto with a lake and waterfall portrays the stage set for the first act of Wagner's Tannhäuser. Ludwig was a huge fan of Richard Wagner.

King Ludwig II of Bavaria and his castles Rose Island Ludwig II loved places that guaranteed him seclusion. Like Rose Island in Lake Starnberg. His father, Maximilian II, had a summer house built here called Casino. It is surrounded by a park with a central rose garden. Here Ludwig II was protected from curious glances and enjoyed meeting with his cousin, Elisabeth, Empress of Austria.

King Ludwig II of Bavaria and his castles Herrenchiemsee Palace In 1873 King Ludwig II acquired Herreninsel, an island in Lake Chiemsee. He wanted to build something suitable here that would pay homage to his great idol, France's Louis XIV. A replica of Versailles Palace in Bavaria, this palace was his final and most costly project. Ludwig died in 1886. He did not live to see the palace's completion.

King Ludwig II of Bavaria and his castles Mirror Room As a perfect replica of Versailles, Herrenchiemsee also has a hall of mirrors, which is 98 meters long, has 17 round windows and the same number of mirrors above them. It also boasts 33 chandeliers and 44 candelabras. It is today the top attraction in the palace and is in fact seven meters longer than the one in Versailles.

King Ludwig II of Bavaria and his castles Nymphenburg Palace Ludwig II did not build Nymphenburg Palace but this is where he was born. Visitors to the palace can visit the room in which he was delivered. During the summer they can glide across the park's canals in a gondola.

King Ludwig II of Bavaria and his castles The King's House on Schachen The view is spectacular but the building itself is surprisingly modest. Built at an altitude of 1,866 meters, Ludwig used this as a refuge when he was in the mountains. It can only be reached by a four-hour hike. Typically for Ludwig, he designed something very special.

King Ludwig II of Bavaria and his castles Turkish Room The entire first floor of Schachen is in an opulent oriental style. It is in stark contrast to the barren mountain surroundings. Ludwig celebrated several birthdays here. The guests were asked to dress as sultans and kalifs. It gave the events a feel of the Bosporus in the Alps. Author: Anne Termèche (sbc)



Higher costs for souvenir industry

Thursday's ruling ends a yearslong dispute between Bavaria and the souvenir industry, which worried its business could suffer if Bavaria held the exclusive naming rights to one of Germany's most iconic tourist attractions.

The decision also means that the state of Bavaria can decide which manufacturers and which products are allowed to use the name "Neuschwanstein."

A spokesperson with the Bavarian Palace Department confirmed to the dpa news agency that the state has already started selling licensing agreements for the "Neuschwanstein" name.

The state of Bavaria, which also owns the castle, applied to register the name "Neuschwanstein" as a trademark for souvenir items both nationally and EU-wide in 2011. A lower EU court sided with the German state in a ruling in 2016.

The Neuschwanstein Castle was built in 1869 by the eccentric Bavarian King Ludwig II. It's one of the most famous castles in Europe and sees around 1.4 million visitors per year, according to the Bavarian Palace Department.

10 reasons to love Bavaria Zugspitze Bavaria gets to top it all by being home to Germany's highest peak. The Zugspitze in the Bavarian Alps reaches 2,962 meters (9,718 ft) above sea level. Visitors, however, don't have to invest a lot of energy to reach the summit to enjoy the fabulous views. There are three cable cars and a rack railway to take you to the top.

10 reasons to love Bavaria The Oktoberfest in Munich The largest people's fair in the world attracts some 6 million visitors and has spawned offshoots around the world. Beer in one liter glasses, women in Dirndl dresses, men in Lederhosen as well as music and dancing in all of the tents. The only genuine Oktoberfest is found in Munich - which has played host since 1810.

10 reasons to love Bavaria Munich - the Bavarian capital The Bavarian metropolis is one of the most beautiful cities in Germany. First stop for visitors is the Marienplatz square with the Frauenkirche church and the New Town Hall with its antique Glockenspiel. Other attractions include the Hofbräuhaus beer hall, Nymphenburg Palace, the Englischer Garten park as well as many museums like the Deutsches Museum - the largest science museum in the world.

10 reasons to love Bavaria Bayern Munich football club Munich is home to Germany's most successful football clubs. FC Bayern home games are played at the Allianz Arena. And for those who can't afford tickets for the match can still feel close to Lewandowski, Robben and Müller by taking a guided tour around the stadium.

10 reasons to love Bavaria Neuschwanstein Castle The Romanesque Revival palace is the top attraction. Some 1.4 million people visit it every year - something the shy and recluse King Ludwig II who commissioned the castle probably would not enjoy. He had the castle built in 1869 as a personal refuge to allow him to escape into the realm of legends and fairytales. Today the castle of the fairytale king is admired by people from around the world.

10 reasons to love Bavaria The Königssee Lake Translated, it would be the 'King's Lake,' and as such it is regarded as the king of the roughly 200 lakes in Bavaria: cut deep into the Berchtesgaden Alps, the crystal clear water creates a nearly fairytale atmosphere. Since 1909 the pilgrimage church St Bartholomä can only be reached by boat - an environmentally friendly electronic boat.

10 reasons to love Bavaria Rothenburg ob der Tauber The small town in the Franconia region is purely medieval. Tourists from Asia in particular love the timber framed houses and the town wall with its fortifications. Rothenburg was left poor and deserted in the Thirty Years' War, which is why it never developed much. Today it's seen a historic jewel that happens to be located on the Romatic Road - one of Germany's most popular tourist routes.

10 reasons to love Bavaria Margravial Opera House in Bayreuth In 2012 it was not Wagner's Festspielhaus Festival Theatre in Bayreuth, but the Margravine Princess Wilhelmine of Prussia's opera house that was added to UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites. This makes it the latest of the seven World Heritage Sites in Bavaria. The opera house, built in the 1740s, is regarded as one of the most beautifully preserved Baroque theatres in Europe.

10 reasons to love Bavaria The Christkindlesmarkt in Nuremberg Nuremberg is the second largest city in Bavaria. Most people come in December to go to the Christkindlesmarkt, or Christ Child Market - one of the world's oldest and best known Christmas markets, visited by 2 million people each year. Mulled wine and Lebkuchen ginger bread you can get anywhere, but only here will you encounter the Christkind or Christ Child.

10 reasons to love Bavaria Bavarian hospitality It is not a myth but a way of life in the approximately 800 beer gardens, 600 breweries and 4000 taverns in Bavaria. Enjoy a traditional Bavarian "Brotzeit" meal - which directly translated means 'bread time'. This includes pretzels, meat and a relaxing beer in the company of friends. Author: Kerstin Schmidt



rs/sms (AFP, dpa, epd, KNA)