Few places on Earth look more like illustrations from a fairy tale than Neuschwanstein Castle. Neuschwanstein (or Schloss Neuschwanstein, as it is known in German) appears to have been plucked straight from a fairy tale, with its towers, turrets, frescoes, and throne hall. However, the story behind this extravagant palace nestled in the Bavarian Alps is far from idyllic.