Ludwig was a very private person, and often described as being “somewhat mad”, so he never intended this “Royal Villa” to be a place to entertain guests. In fact, only four rooms in the building served any real functions;
(1) Hall of Mirrors - which Ludwig used as his Living Room;
(2) Dining Room - famous for its “disappearing dumb waiter”;
(3) Bed Chamber - in which his bed is elevated on steps in an alcove, surrounded by gilded railings, creating an image of an altar;
(4) Audience Chamber - never used as such, but rather as Ludwig’s study.
In addition, there are two identical Tapestry Rooms which apparently do not serve any specific functions. Construction of the Palace was completed in 1878.
Surrounding the castle is one of the most beautiful gardens in Europe. It was said that Ludwig was fascinated by trees. As such, he insisted that a 300 year old Linder tree remain standing, even though it spoiled the symmetry of the gardens, because he loved to sit under it in the evening. Contrary to one myth, this tree did not lend its name to the palace. Rather, its name derived from the Linder family that had previously farmed this spot for many years ( “Hof” is German for farm).
Linderhof Castle was, by far, one of the most beautiful places we’ve visited so far. We can only imagine what it must have been like to live here.