Bavaria pushed the application forward for a quarter of a century.

UNESCO will meet in Paris on Saturday to discuss the inclusion of Bavaria's fairytale castles in the World Heritage List. The chances are good that the UN cultural organization's World Heritage Commission will add Neuschwanstein Castle, the Herrenchiemsee and Linderhof Palaces, and the Royal Palace on Schachen Mountain to the World Heritage List.

Bavaria had been working toward this distinction for more than a quarter of a century. The magnificent castles in idyllic surroundings in Upper Bavaria have been tourist magnets for almost 140 years. The magnificent buildings of Ludwig II (1845-1886) attracted over 1.7 million visitors last year, including many tourists from abroad.

The royal palaces built in the second half of the 19th century are intended to evoke the impression of historical buildings and evoke medieval dreams and fantasies. Neuschwanstein Castle in the Allgäu region, for example, was built like a medieval knight's castle, and Herrenchiemsee Palace was modeled on Versailles.

While the coveted World Heritage seal does not provide financial support, it increases the global awareness and reputation of the designated cultural sites, which benefits tourism. The state is committed to the long-term preservation and protection of World Heritage sites and must report regularly to UNESCO on this.

And what would happen to the castles now that they are expected to be listed as World Heritage? It's unlikely that the new designation will be used to drum up interest and attract even more tourists. Mass tourism, especially around Neuschwanstein, is already under fire, even though it is an economic factor for the neighboring communities.

Neuschwanstein Castle used to attract more than 1.4 million visitors annually, but during the recently completed renovation work, visitor numbers were capped. Following the completion of the work, Neuschwanstein Castle is now permanently limited to 45 visitors per group. This is intended to ensure that the building does not suffer from the influx of visitors. The Bavarian Ministry of Finance in Munich, which is responsible for the castles in the Free State, emphasizes that even beyond this limit, the monument will be prevented from becoming overcrowded.

According to the German UNESCO Commission prior to this year's session, there are currently 1,223 World Heritage sites in 168 countries worldwide. Most are cultural monuments, such as medieval Quedlinburg in Saxony-Anhalt. There are also natural heritage sites, such as the Messel Pit in Hesse, known for its numerous fossil finds. A total of 54 World Heritage sites have been declared in Germany to date, including the old towns of Stralsund and Wismar, Cologne Cathedral, the Wadden Sea, and the Roman border fortifications of the Limes.