Report on Herrenchiemsee Palace by guest writer: Rebecca Pentelow
ALL ABOARD!: Taking a ferry to the islands on the Chiemsee makes for a great day-trip from Munich.
Situated only 60 km from Munich, the beautiful Chiemsee lake, sometimes referred to as the 'Bavarian sea' is home to several small islands, including perhaps Germany's most fascinating island, Herrenchiemsee. Easily accessible by train, there is also a boat trip around the islands, allowing tourists to stop at both of the main islands, Herrenchiemsee and Frauenchiemsee, as well as a small holiday town on the other side of the lake, called Gstadt.
INSPIRED: Ludwig II's Herrenchiemsee Palace is a modelled closely on French King Louis XIV's palace of Versailles.
Herrenchiemsee is also known on the island as the 'New Palace,' due to the presence of an Augustine Monastery which was later converted into the 'Old Palace.' The monastery was founded in around 765, and is also well worth a visit, especially for those looking to brush up on their history. In 1949, all eleven leaders of the western German states sent delegates to this small island to draft the 'Grundgesetz', or German constitution. An only slightly modified version of this 'Grundgesetz' would later go on to become the 'Verfassung,' or the German constitution as it is known today, and a museum dedicated to its creation can be found within the Old Palace.
FROZEN ISLAND: That's me standing on a pier on the Fraueninsel (Women's Island) in winter.
Although perhaps not as historically relevant as Herrenchiemsee, its smaller sister island, Frauenchiemsee, is also well worth a visit. Home to an active Benedictine convent as well as several hundred permanent residents, it boasts the famous Kloster Liquor, which is produced by the nuns, as well as several small businesses run by the local residents, for example a small hand-made pottery store.
See below for a map of the Linderhof grounds.
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