The fairy tale-like Neuschwanstein Castle was a dream project of the eccentric king Ludwig II of Bavaria, inspired by his love for the fantastical epics of German composer Richard Wagner. In time, it has become synonymous with a fairy tale castle, especially after Disney used it as basis for castles in their own animated fairy tales. However, unlike them, the creation of this marvel of late 19th century technology and architecture did not have a happy ending, and it is said to have contributed to the ruin and eventual death of the king