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In the movie "History of the World Part I," comedian Mel Brooks plays King Louis XIV of France, and he repeatedly looks into the camera and says: "It's good to be king."

The real king, King Ludwig II of Bavaria, behaved like that Đ that is until he started retreating into his own private world.

King L2B, as I'll call him for short, was popular with his constituents and built some of Germany's most splendid castles and gardens. Southern Bavaria is dotted with palaces that chronicle this king's life -- and each has history and beauty unmatched almost anywhere in Europe.

Ludwig II was born in 1845 at Nymphenburg Palace near Munich. The place is still quite the domicile. Bordered by lakes and huge symmetrical gardens, the boxy looking structure is very elaborate. A Rococo-style Great Hall (Steinerner Seal) has walls awash with scrolls, foliage and animals. Crank your neck upward to see the stunning Olympic god mural.

What makes Nymphenburg memorable is its Gallery of Beauties. LB2's grandfather, Ludwig I had a weakness for the ladies. He even had Joseph Stieler paint pictures of his women and scandalized the kingdom when he made his favorite exotic dancer, Lola Montez, a countess. Ludwig I was not Nymphenburg's only womanizer. While Maximilian III Joseph (Prince-elector from 1745-1777) entertained his lady friends, he kept his wife busy at Amalienburg, the "hunting" lodge he built on the property. Hunting was anything but sport. Everyone went up to the lodge roof. When caged pheasants were released, guests shot them.

The Prince-elector also established the Nymphenburg porcelain factory in 1747. Huge brightly colored, porcelain people and birds decorate some of the gardens. A large collection, including the newer white, contemporary creations, is displayed inside the castle.

Ludwig II didn't spend much time at Nymphenburg. He grew up near Fussen in Hohenschwangau Palace. A swan with outstretched wings perches atop Hohenschwangau's roof. Schwan means swan and many adorn this neo-gothic styled castle. The large "Hall of Heroes and Knights" spans the width of the castle and is crowned by an ornamental stucco ceiling. Here the young Ludwig became acquainted with Richard Wagner's operas and the Sun King, Louis XIV of France. His nickname, the "fairy tale king," was not just because of the castles he built, but also because of his obsessions. Both Louis XIV and Richard Wagner operas dominated his life and the three castles he built: Linderhof, Hennenchiemsee and Neuschwanstein.

Located in the Grswang valley, the opulent Linderhof was "fairy tale king's" favorite and the only palace in which he finished and lived. It was inspired by Versailles and reflects his passions. A Moorish Kiosk or Teahouse, "hermits hut" and Hundings Hut--built like the stage set in Wagner's Valkyrie -- complement French, Italian and English symmetric gardens. Flamboyant statuary, fountains and pools surround them.

A man-made Venus Grotto was patterned after Wagner's Tannenhauser. The king would enjoy middle of the night performances on a stone loge, which sits among the stalactites and stalagmites. In a pond that ebbs and flows with the aid of an electric wave machine, is a nautilus shell-shaped canoe. Linderhof was one of Bavaria's first sites to have electricity.

This castle devotes itself to Lud II's other icon, the Sun King. The Louis XIV on horseback statue overwhelms the entrance hall and a marble Louis sits the Western Tapestry/Music Room. Even though the ermine-curtained Throne Room displays a Bavarian Coat of Arms, equestrian statues of the French royal sit on either side of the fireplace. Even his bedroom has a gold leaf wood carving with Bourbon king symbols. LB2 just didn't know when enough was enough.

Linderhof 's Hall of Mirrors can drive you nuts. The scene goes on and on. But its 16-branch, ivory chandelier is a work of art. So is the Meissen porcelain one in the dining room. As King Ludwig I became more and more of a recluse, he refused to eat with anyone. His dining room table has a pulley system. It was lowered to the basement and then raised after the meal was laid out. Lud ate his sausages, sauerkraut, wiener schnitzel, strudel or whatever in total seclusion.

The same kind of dining apparatus existed at Herrenchiemsee Palace on Herren Island in Lake Chiemsee. Ludwig inhabited Herrenchiemsee for only 10 days shortly before his death. This castle is about living the Louis XIV experience. It duplicates the central section of Versailles as do the statues, pools and fountains of its French symmetrical garden. Being the window washer Đthere are unending panes Ñor the chandelier lighter Đ5,000 candles Đ was an unenviable job.

A huge skylight in the main entrance highlights the colorful faux marble. It is easy to envision a beautifully dressed lady floating down the graceful Italian marble staircase. Portraits of Napoleon adorn ante-chamber walls.

The state bedroom exceeds the opulence of Louis XIV's Versailles one. There are so many gold wood carvings, it makes your head spin. The private bedroom has a globe at the foot of the bed so the monarch could have the "world at his feet." And check out the bathroom. A secret door leads to its 22-foot wide tub. As if these weren't garish enough, the Hall of Mirrors is 321 feet long.

It's Neuschwanstein in which most people are familiar. There's no mistaking that was the prototype for Walt Disney's Cinderella's Castle. Located close to Hohenschwangau, it perches on a hill. For an exquisite view of the palace, climb up to the steel bridge. LB2 built this span after seeing the Eiffel Tower.

For Neuschwanstein's design, the monarch retreated to the Middle Ages. Huge and ornate, the Throne Hall reeks of royalty and wealth. Murals of Jesus and the Apostles serve as a backdrop to the throne. A 2,200 lb. brass chandelier in the shape of a crown hangs in the middle of the room and marble stairs lead up to the throne.

But what LB2 castle would be complete without Wagner opera stuff? The living room has a Lohengrin mural with a nautilus boat. A Tristan and Isole mural decorates the royal bedchamber. Tannenhauser reigns in the dressing room, the study and the grotto. The Singer's Hall paid homage to the Parsifal and has excellent acoustics. Lud II looked forward to enjoying his buddy Wagner's operas there.

He never got the chance. Ludwig I ran out of money and on June 6, 1886, was declared insane and incapable of ruling. He was taken to Berg Palace. Seven days later, he and his physician were found floating in Starnberg Lake. Though his death remains a mystery, he left a rich legacy. His castles are unique. A trip to Bavaria would not be complete without visiting at least one of them.

IF YOU GO

Be aware that if you lived in a 19th century castle, you had to be fit or dependent on servants' help. There are many stairs and few elevators in the palace. If you are physically challenged or have young children and/or strollers you may have a problem navigating. German Tourist Board: (800) 651-7010; website: www.cometogermany.com