The Königshaus am Schachen was built by King Ludwig II and offers a unique blend of nature experience and royal exoticism.
The Königshaus am Schachen is a small, remote castle in the Bavarian Alps that was built by King Ludwig II. With a simple Swiss chalet-style exterior, the interior surprises with a magnificent ‘Turkish Hall’ reminiscent of the fairytale world of the Orient. The hotel is situated at an altitude of 1,866 metres in the Wetterstein mountains and offers an impressive panorama, including the Zugspitze. Ludwig II, who loved the mountains since his youth, celebrated his birth and name day here every year on 25 August.
Just a few minutes' walk above the castle is a viewing pavilion with a particularly beautiful view of the Zugspitze massif. The Königshaus can only be reached on foot via a hike lasting several hours (walking time for ascent and descent 6-7 hours). Its exposed location makes it one of the most impressive vantage points in the Bavarian Alps.
The Alpine Garden below the palace is a botanical highlight and is part of the Botanischer Garten München-Nymphenburg (botanical gardens. It was created in 1901 and, due to its alpine location, displays a unique variety of around 1,000 mountain plants from all the world's mountain ranges, from the Alps to the Himalayas. The garden is only open in the summer months (around June to early September) as it is snow-covered in winter.
The royal castles of Schachen, Neuschwanstein, Linderhof and Herrenchiemsee have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2025.
Train connection: approx. 1.5 - 2 hours to Klais or Mittenwald, then by bus to Ferchensee and then a hike lasting several hours. Information at bahn.de
Car: approx. 1.5 hours to the Elmau hiking car park or the Mittenwald valley station via the A95 motorway
