By 1885, it was clear to the Bavarian Cabinet that Ludwig's building was not going to stop. In that year, the King had a number of building projects under way, and was spending huge amounts of money. Although Ludwig paid for the castles and private performances out of his own pocket, and not from the State coffers as some would have us believe, it still was an astronomical amount.
In 1885, Ludwig's buildings that were under way were - Neuschwanstein - almost complete. The Great Keep was just begun. (Since removed.)
Linderhof - the final version of the bedroom nearing completion, and the Herburtus Pavillion, modelled on the Amalienburg at Nymphenburg, was just started in the grounds.
Herrenchiemsee - exterior largely completed, work on the vast interior well under way. Many major rooms completed.
Falkenstein - the final plans had been drawn up, and the road to the summit of the mountain completed. Work on the demolition of the old castle ruins about to commence.
What frightened the Cabinet more than these works under way was the projects that were to come. The Chinese Palace in Austria, and most frightening was the enormous Byzantine Palace that was to be started in a few years time. This project is largely ignored by many historians, but it was to be a building on a positively awesome scale, a gigantic building of marble and gold perched on a mountain, appearing like the Grail Temple from Parsifal.
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