The castle that inspired Disney's Sleeping Beauty's castle was built high up in the Bavarian Alps by order of 19th-century King Louis II – better known historically as "Mad King Ludwig."
The castle that inspired Disney's Sleeping Beauty's castle was built high up in the Bavarian Alps by order of 19th-century King Louis II – better known historically as "Mad King Ludwig." If the castle looks like something out of a fairy tale it's because that was Louis II's vision all along. He wanted a castle that looked somewhat medieval, somewhat out of legends, and very much over-the-top romanticized.