In a referendum, the residents of Schwangau are to vote on whether they support the nomination of the fairytale castle Neuschwanstein as a World Heritage Site. This was determined by the municipal council, said a spokeswoman for the municipality on Tuesday. There is no date for the vote yet, but it should take place by autumn.
The castle in the Ostallgäu is to be submitted to Unesco as a World Heritage proposal together with the other two world-famous castles of Bavarian King Ludwig II, Herrenchiemsee and Linderhof. The “Building Dreams” project is already on the so-called tentative list, on which Germany’s next World Heritage proposals will be collected. According to the Bavarian Palace Administration, the World Heritage Commission could decide on the three Bavarian royal palaces in 2025.
In Schwangau, however, there are different perspectives on the project. Some fear that the World Heritage seal could attract even more visitors. With around one and a half million guests a year, Neuschwanstein is already one of Bavaria’s biggest tourist attractions.
The Bavarian Palace Administration asked the community for approval of the World Heritage application, said the community spokeswoman. The municipal council did not vote on Monday evening itself, but initiated a council request. “We want the citizens to vote on whether Neuschwanstein Castle should be a World Heritage Site or not,” said the spokeswoman. Before that, there will be an information event on the subject.