 When I purchased this set, Wange was the only brand that featured the Neuschwanstein Castle, a stunning architectural feat with absolute visual power. Truth be told, this Wange set was on my list but wasn't a priority, however, I was somewhat forced to purchase it due to circumstances beyond my control. I had this set and the Wange Sydney Opera House among my favorites on an eBay store. The seller offered me a 25% discount with an expiration date, and I was forced to make some choices. The strange thing was that until shortly before the discount expired, I was leaning toward the Sydney Opera House, then, due to space constraints, I purchased the Neuschwanstein Castle. The second problem was that shortly afterward, Lego also released its own version, and to be honest, I was a bit disappointed. As I write this, not only has BlueBrixx also released its own version of the castle, but at the same time, it's practically impossible to find the Wange Sydney Opera House. Let's just say that although I love Wange, I wasn't in the best of moods when I started assembling this set, but the somewhat unfavorable circumstances didn't particularly affect me. My biggest regret is definitely not having bought the other Wange, but as more manufacturers release their own versions of a castle like this one, it only excites me and pushes me to buy them all so I can compare them. In other words, even if I had bought the Lego version, I would still have been curious about Wange, so I would have bought it anyway. This is the story that led me to purchase this set, but another unique story is the one I experienced while visiting the real Neuschwanstein Castle, but I'll tell you about that in a little while in the post about the city of Füssen. It took me six days to assemble this Wange, despite it being divided into seven different phases. Each assembly phase included about five envelopes, and each phase contained approximately 26 steps. In addition to the numbered envelopes, there were three envelopes for other steps: the base and large components reproducing the rocks and greenery of the castle. On the first day, in the first phase, I managed to get to step 22 without completing it. This is because, like every Wange, and especially this one with its very large base, all the small pillars must be meticulously and precisely positioned, where the large parts will then be placed to form the various levels. This process is slow and difficult, as all the points on the base must be counted, even cross-counted, in order to perform the installation correctly. However, on the second day, I managed to complete the last steps of phase one and completely complete the contents of phase two. Essentially, after completing the perimeter with the rock replicas, I began construction of the front section, including the staircase, part of the entrance, and the roof of the first front level. On the third day, I continued with the assembly, completing phase three, where I built the central section up to the terrace and then closed the perimeter all the way to the rear with the rock and vegetation. On the fourth day, I completed two phases, thus advancing on schedule. In phase four, I added details to the right section and then built the entire entrance façade with the internal courtyard, but without closing the perimeter. I made a mistake installing rectangular windows instead of arched ones, but I managed to dismantle the wall, replace the brick, and reassemble everything. In phase five, I built the central section all the way around the courtyard, completing the side sections but leaving the back wall incomplete. In total, during the two phases, I was only short of two 1-inch flat bricks, which I managed to salvage. On the fifth day, I completed phase six, initially covering the back section and then raising the left wall and half of the right wall. The final step involved completing the large tower on the right, the one after the entrance. On the sixth and final day, I finished phase seven, where, in the first steps, I assembled and secured the large rear cantilevered balcony that I photographed so often in person. I then completed the structure with the rear walls and two roofs. Finally, I assembled the last towers, the tallest of which had to be built with one less brick so as not to exceed the large tower at the front. I had to do this because otherwise it would have been a few millimeters short of fitting into the display case. As I've been doing lately, I also avoided installing the trivial chains on the four sides. After the misadventures I had with the Potala Palace, returning to assemble a Wange where everything went smoothly was something that was greatly gratifying. I've always believed that the problems with missing parts I had with the Potala were inherent to my unit and not a common issue. It goes without saying that a cat that gets sunburnt is also afraid of cold water, so I was a bit apprehensive before starting to assemble this castle. Beyond that, the process of assembling this castle, which I love dearly, was a positive and stimulating experience, and the set itself turned out very beautiful and quite faithful. Most of all, I particularly loved the phases in which the castle was almost complete on the front because, given the size of the reproduction, at certain moments I felt as if I were actually inside the castle. It was an engaging assembly where fantasy took precedence over reality. The beauty of architectural sets is precisely this: the larger the set, the more you feel like a god creating something that will then work and have a soul of its own. Of course, I'm now curious to see the Lego set and the BlueBrixx set that reproduce Neuschwanstein Castle, but I don't think I'll buy them anytime soon. I've already purchased the next Wange set and have the next one on my list, and unfortunately, the problem now is related to display space. For now, I'm enjoying this castle and Potala Palace positioned high up next to each other, but even if it means assembling them and then storing them without displaying them, I'll continue to buy and assemble them following my instinct and inspiration. Progress Day 1  Day 2  Day 3  Day 4  Day 5  Day 6 Gallery         A.M.
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