 Füssen is a city I visited in 2022 during my stay in Munich. I believe that, like most people who go to Füssen, my main interest wasn't the city itself but the nearby presence of the famous Neuschwanstein Castle. This majestic building literally stood on a rock and was almost always depicted from the perspective of the Marienbrücke bridge. It's said that the castle inspired the famous Disney castle, but honestly, this aspect didn't particularly interest me. I simply see things in reality, and if it fascinates me, I want to see it in person. Whether Disney was inspired or not isn't important; what should be investigated is understanding how they built such a castle in such a forbidding location. My mission that day was therefore to get to Füssen and then visit the castle, which was located about four kilometers from the city center. I wanted to see this spectacular work of architecture and create my own version of the famous photo depicting the castle. My main hopes were that the sun would shine and that it would illuminate the castle behind the bridge so it could be seen in the best possible light. These were my only concerns, assuming there were no other setbacks or problems, but that day would present me with some very original surprises. I left early in the morning, and the train ride lasted about two hours. As I mentioned before, the castle was outside the city, but the route was covered by free shuttles that ran from the Füssen station to the parking lot below the castle. Needless to say, almost everyone who got off the train that day lined up to take the shuttle to the castle. Once in the small town, there were two options: take one of the buses that circled the mountain and stopped near the castle, or set off on foot and hike to the castle. Personally, I opted for the latter because I wanted the castle to be an achievement, not a classic tourist destination accessible with amenities designed for the masses or those with physical disabilities. Neuschwanstein Castle The journey from Füssen station to the Hohenschwangau area took about ten minutes, where, crossing the Lech River, I discovered its intense turquoise color, highly unusual and remarkably clean for a river. The bus terminal area was very crowded; there was a large information point, a souvenir shop, and a large map showing the castle and the roads leading to it. From there, I could also see the castle itself, the rear section with the cantilevered floors, one of the details I liked most. That area was different than I expected, especially the difference in altitude, something I was unaware of. However, I took a photo of the large map and continued up the main road. I had no intention of taking buses, and passing by other large buildings housing restaurants and hotels, I identified one of the roads that would take me to the top of the castle. It was a main artery, the paved one that public transport also used, but I had seen on the maps that taking a dirt path through the woods would get me there faster. As I climbed, I saw a path that more or less matched the one indicated on the map, and I began to ascend. After about five minutes, I discovered that the path was actually the dry section of a stream. In fact, after my walk, I found myself in front of a water source with an incredible drop. That section was exactly like the one in the movie “First Blood “, specifically the scene where Rambo escapes on his motorcycle and then finds himself on a steep slope, forced to abandon his bike and continue on foot. At that point, I realized I had made a mistake and opted for the safe solution: I returned to the beginning of the trail and continued towards the castle on the main road, among the cars and horse-drawn carriages. Partly because of this mistake, it took me about half an hour to get to the castle. It was so large that I had to figure out which side to look at it from. For this purpose, a panoramic viewpoint with a refreshment area had been created in a lower section to the left of the castle. From there, you could see primarily the front, the entrance with the two towers and the orange façade. I must say that the panoramic viewpoint was well-organized because it was very large, allowing many people to take photos at once. Even the most demanding photographers could take pictures for longer periods because there was still space for those who only wanted a few shots and not a full-fledged photoshoot. Although the area was very beautiful, personally, as a true photographer, I didn't particularly like the view; there was too much perspective from the bottom up; the castle was three-quarters and essentially surrounded by vegetation. It was a glimpse of the structure, very beautiful but not perfect from an architectural standpoint. We could say that it was a tourist spot designed for the masses, but it was a bit difficult to create good photos from. Clearly, everything was dictated by the castle's unique location, and I'm honestly glad they didn't invent some artificial walkway with a better view. The point is that everything was designed for the masses, not for people who wanted to capture beauty and aesthetics with professional tools, trying to transform, as in this case, architecture into fine art. The vantage point itself was perfect for the masses taking photos with their phones, but I imagined a different, seemingly racist, but more democratic, scene. The right thing to do would have been to create an even more beautiful vantage point, open only to people with high-end digital or analog cameras. It might seem discriminatory, but in reality it would be the right, democratic solution because there are real differences. The reality is that that day, maybe three out of ten had cameras and everyone else had phones. I, like other more creative and patient people who love photography, had the same opportunities as any amateur taking dozens of random photos, photos that end up on a corporation private servers and will never be looked at again within a few weeks. Those who, on the other hand, try to compose before taking the shot, then edit it with a personal touch, and finally meticulously archive their private photos are decidedly discriminated. This is leveling things, making people believe we're all the same when the reality is the complete opposite! I didn't spend much time there and then walked along the road to the castle entrance. The place was a bit crowded, and from an aesthetic-architectural standpoint, it wasn't any better. Even though there was a wide curve in front of the entrance, there wasn't enough space to take good photos; I didn't stay there for long either, for the same reasons that made me leave the vantage point. Let's just say that after a short while, Neuschwanstein Castle was a bit disappointing from a photographic standpoint, but I was confident because I would get the classic shot, the one from the Marienbrücke bridge that millions had taken. Moving to the side of the castle, I focused on taking photos of details like the towers. The left side was incredibly tall and monumental, and it, more than the other parts, was impossible to capture and see in its entirety. This side, moreover, was in shadow and had vast vegetation in front. I continued along the side because from there, going around the castle led to the bridge, but before even reaching the back, I had a pleasant surprise: A small sign announced that the Marienbrücke Bridge was closed for maintenance! I'm a rational person and I rarely blame others for my misfortunes. My first thought after seeing the sign was to blame myself for not checking in advance to see if the bridge would be open during my visit. My second thought was to figure out how to photograph the castle anyway, perhaps by hopping over the bridge fences or seeking an alternative, non-touristy viewpoint, perhaps higher up on the mountain.   My first view of the castle    First Blood momentum   Neuschwanstein Castle   On the bottom left the panoramic view point as seeing from the castle entrance  Side view Although I was a little disappointed, I didn't lose heart. I initially focused on the rear of the castle and took many photos of the cantilevered balconies. It was a part that had always fascinated me, and up close it looked even larger and more imposing. There were essentially two covered balconies with five arches per balcony. That structure alone had a unique beauty that stood out from the castle. Up close, and even with the help of the telephoto zoom, I was able to notice further details, such as the six different masks at the base of the balconies. These were details I wasn't aware of, and when isolated with the telephoto lens, they became mysterious works of art. I challenge anyone looking at a photo of a detail of one of those masks to understand and trace its origin. After the photo of the cantilevered balcony, I continued along the normal road, which also led to the Marienbrücke bridge. After a short while, I reached a beautiful panoramic viewpoint. The view opened onto a vast valley where, in the midst of unspoiled nature, I could see the lake between the mountains, a few houses in the valley, and on a hill of intermediate height stood the pale yellow Hohenschwangau Castle. This building was another place worth visiting, but I personally had to pass on it because I wouldn't have had the time. However, I realized that up close, at least from the outside, I wouldn't have had the same view as from the panoramic point. Thanks to the telephoto lens, I was able to isolate the castle, which was immersed in a simply perfect area! Seeing that scene from that perspective, I understood how much more intelligent civilizations in the past were than ours. We are beings who need to live amidst nature, but those who govern us have envisioned a different destiny for us. The frenetic lifestyle we lead in cities, which are giant motherboards, electrifies our nature to a level that doesn't serve us but rather consumes us. Perhaps some people benefit from this negative energy we emanate, but in fact we are beings who must live in conditions that lead us to emit only positive energy, like the context I was looking at from the panoramic point. After passing this place, I came across the closed road that led to the bridge, and nearby there was a path that led downstream; seeing people walking along it, I decided to take it too. It was a road that led to the bed of the small river that ran under the Marienbrücke, and to be honest, some sections were a bit dangerous because the path had collapsed. The risk, however, was worth it, because once I reached the valley, I found myself in a very beautiful and natural place. It was a place full of rocks, with the river flowing from a small artificial waterfall made of stone blocks to the north of the castle, forming a sort of pond right near the bridge. That was precisely the strange thing: I had gone to see the castle from the bridge, but instead I found myself right under it, where the photos I dedicated to it were certainly less exciting than what I could have taken from up there. That section was a bit steep and dangerous given the large stone blocks. This detail was making me shy away, but before retracing my steps, I noticed that the small artificial waterfall was accessible and several people were heading towards it. After climbing those four stone blocks, I found myself catapulted into a new dimension. Those few small steps led to a vast area with the river in the center, but on the sides there was an immense white expanse made up of pebbles of various sizes and surrounded by tall trees. The area was very large and photogenic, with several spots occupied by people taking photos of each other because the backgrounds on both sides were so evocative. While exploring the area, I was stopped by a young couple who asked me for a photo, and after a while I chose a spot to take some photos of myself. Aided by the larger pebbles, I used them as a support for my camera and managed to take some selfies that I was very pleased with. I certainly wasted some time that I could have used to explore the area but the resulting photos satisfied me even more. That place had given me positive energy and made me forget some of my misadventures, but on the way back, I reached the fork that led to the bridge and decided to take the uphill path. From there, the road became wilder, and after about fifty meters there were no more tourists. As I climbed, I passed someone coming down, and I decided to stop a couple and ask them a fundamental question. Hoping they were as adventurous as I was, I asked if climbing that path would lead to a spot where I could see the castle. The young couple not only responded positively, but also explained to me where I should take the high, descending path, which would take me right in front of the view of the castle. The path was dark because it was covered by tall trees, but it wasn't difficult, and after about twenty minutes of walking, I came across the spot the young couple mentioned; to the right of the path that continued uphill, there was a gap with a path leading downhill. After taking it, in a few steps down a somewhat steep slope, I found myself faced with a beautiful view! From among the trees, the rear of the castle emerged, with the prairie beyond, then the lake, and finally the other fields. The front of the castle wasn't visible because part of the trees obscured it, but I'm sure that at other times of the year it was possible to see it in its entirety. The treetops obstructing it were few, and I doubt they remained that way all year round. After enjoying the view, being careful not to fall into the ravine, I used a large pebble nearby and did the same thing I did downstream, using it as a support to take some selfies. This was sufficient because to correct the autofocus, I had to be careful when moving the camera to the desired position, so I took a few photos, only one of which was in focus. Providence, however, brought another adventurer there, who in this case was my angel. A young German man named Ron appeared out of nowhere with his hiking gear, and his eyes, too, were wide-eyed in amazement at the sight. We got to talking, and I discovered he was a true mountain explorer. I had him take some photos of me, and then he took his drone and flew over the castle. We chatted a bit, and he shared the drone photos with me on social media. Explorer Ron had a great plan for that day: he would continue his climb to the summit he'd seen on the maps and spend the night there. Some time later, following him on social media before I deleted them, I followed Ron's exploits as he spent his time from one summit to the next, exploring naturalistic places that had never been seen even in films like "The Lord of the Rings." The descent to the Hohenschwangau area, passing by the castle again, was seemingly uneventful, but during the steep and arduous section, I began to feel pain from an inflamed left knee. I was wearing high-top shoes, which were very comfortable for walking on flat ground but not suitable for the steep terrain. Unfortunately, the pain persisted until the following day, but I always took it positively because it reminded me of a beautiful and meaningful day. The bus ride to the center of Füssen was pleasant, also because, thanks to an excuse, I started chatting with some Georgian girls who had been to the castle but were coming from Stuttgart. Even though I hadn't been able to see the castle as much as I'd hoped, the view was still epic, with a surprise that I managed to convert from a negative to a positive. I arrived in the center at after 3 PM, and the first thing I did was look for a place to have lunch.  The cantilevered balconies  Details  The panoramic viewpoint  Hohenschwangau Castle   Marienbrücke     City Center I was surprised to discover that many restaurants in Füssen closed after lunch, but thanks to my tenacity, I managed to find a simple place where I ate a delicious burger. My exploration of the center therefore began a little late, but it goes without saying that the area wasn't very large, so my delay didn't compromise my plans. The historic center centered on the main street called Reichenstraße, and the urban landscape was dominated by colorful, ornate houses with gabled roofs. I wandered aimlessly because I sensed that even without a plan, I could see everything important in the city. My exploration actually lasted about an hour, enough to appreciate the cleanliness and tranquility of the center. However, there were two places that caught my attention from an architectural point of view. One was the Abbey of St. Magnus. The building had three levels but stood on a slight slope. It was white, with details such as the windows, roof, and some decorations in dark brown. An arched doorway with a framed painting led to the inner courtyard, which, however, was the actual entrance to the palace. The interior of the courtyard followed the exterior style, but there was a large main façade with a beautiful yet distinctive design. There was a small central door, while the upper levels were much taller, with three large windows on the first two floors that seemed separate from the rest of the design. They were disproportionate but still had a beauty of their own, like the work of those painters who love to disfigure images by stretching them and giving them a shape that our mind registers as strange but is also very attractive. The other building I liked was a few steps from the abbey and was the Church of the Holy Spirit. This church wasn't large, but its facade was essentially a large painting. Light red on a white background, the facade had four very large painted figures, while in the center was the coat of arms supported by lions. Higher up, also in the center, was the dove with a halo; it was higher than the large paintings but not at the very top, where there were other smaller decorations. I didn't visit the church, but I took the downhill road next to it that led straight to the Lechbrücke, a bridge that offered a very evocative view. On the other bank, in fact, there were other colorful houses, but in reality the beauty was always given by the color of the Lech River. Even though I had seen it earlier from the bus on the way up to the castle, being right above that wide, turquoise river was a unique experience. I don't remember ever seeing an expanse of that color, and above all, as I said before, it was incredible for how clean it was. There was definitely something thick there, which was what gave it that strong color, but there was no sign of dirt, and the river looked like a large pool, and my instinct was to dive in and take a bath. That bridge was the furthest point I visited in the historic center. I then turned back, and taking different routes, I slowly made my way back to the station. Even though I returned to the center of Füssen late, it took me less time than I expected to explore it, which actually put me ahead of schedule. In front of the station was a green area with a lawn and some large trees; I waited under one of them rather than inside the station. From there, I could see the peaks of some tall, bare mountains; it felt like I could touch them, all while lying against a tree. I remember that moment of relaxation vividly, despite the lack of action, something that had been a constant throughout that day; a dynamic day, always rushing but never rushed. In fact, I cherish the memory of every single moment of that day, so much so that I wrote this post solely from memory, without the need to refresh my memory with the aid of photos. Born with a very popular purpose—the view of Neuschwanstein Castle from the Marienbrücke bridge—the visit to Füssen offered me different and perhaps even more beautiful and original experiences. Beyond the natural beauty and unique scenery, that day taught me that we must never give up, that when faced with an unexpected event, we must always find a solution rather than despair and blame fate. I don't know how long I've wanted to see the castle from that perspective, and the sign warning that the "perspective" was inaccessible only gave me renewed motivation. That day, I didn't see or photograph the "perspective" embodied by the Marienbrücke, but thanks to this detail, I walked along other paths that offered me other perspectives where their beauty was only a secondary factor. The point, in fact, wasn't to see the castle from the best perspective, but to be able to see it, and in this way I achieved my goal, enriching it with further experiences and knowledge. That day, beyond the material beauty, was above all a great spiritual lesson; a lesson in tenacity, hope, and constant motivation even facing the unexpected.      Abbey of St. Magnus  Abbey of St. Magnus    Church of the Holy Spirit  Lech River   A.M.
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