Friday, February 27, 07:00 pm

In the late 19th century, King Ludwig II of Bavaria created extraordinary and extravagant castles that were described at the time as “so ridiculous they are beyond all taste.” Yet today these stunning palaces are among Germany’s biggest tourist attractions. This handsome boy-king was loved by his people, betrayed by his cabinet and found dead in tragic and mysterious circumstances. He spent his life in pursuit of the ideal of beauty, and many believe his castles were the work of an architectural genius ahead of his time. This program explores the rich aesthetic of Ludwig II – from the mock-medievalism of Neuschwanstein, the iconic fairytale castle which inspired Walt Disney’s Sleeping Beauty castle, to the rich Baroque splendor of Herrenchiemsee, Ludwig’s answer to Versailles – to discover if they hold the key to the eternal enigma of this intriguing royal.