Hohenzollern Castle

History

High above the Zollerngraben, on an 855-metre conical peak of the Swabian Alb, Hohenzollern Castle rises as a stone monument to one of Europe’s most powerful dynasties. The history of the site reaches back to the early 11th century, when Count Burkhard I of Zollern first built a fortification here. That first castle fell into ruin and was replaced in the 15th century by a second complex — which, however, was destroyed all the way down to the chapel in 1423 after a siege by a Swabian league of cities led by Esslingen.

Today’s third castle is a work of the 19th century and a prime example of German Historicism. Crown Prince Frederick William of Prussia — the later Emperor Frederick III — had the ruined walls elaborately rebuilt between 1846 and 1867 to plans by the Berlin architect Friedrich August Stüler. The project combined a romantic longing for the Middle Ages with dynastic self-confidence: the Hohenzollerns, electors of Brandenburg since 1415 and kings in Prussia since 1701, wanted to rebuild their Swabian ancestral seat as a representative monument to their origins.

Architecture & Setting

The structure follows the English model of Neo-Gothic and presents a picturesque silhouette of towers, battlements and bay windows dramatically outlined against the sky. Three concentric ring walls surround the conical hill; the outermost is fortified with eleven towers. At the heart of the complex stands St Michael’s Chapel, whose 15th-century Gothic windows survive in their original form from the predecessor building — the only element to outlast every destruction.

The castle’s geographical setting is unique: isolated from the Alb plateau, the outlier peak near Bisingen rises freely from the landscape, making the castle visible from every direction and, in turn, offering a panorama from the Upper Rhine plain to the Alpine chain. On clear föhn days the summits of the Zugspitze and the Allgäu Alps can be seen. In autumn mist, when the cone emerges from a sea of cloud, the most famous photographic motif of the Swabian Alb is born.

The interior preserves significant testimonies to Prussian-Hohenzollern history. The treasury houses the Prussian crown insignia, including the crown of King Frederick I from 1701, the uniforms and personal belongings of Emperor William I, as well as paintings and documents on the family’s history. The library holds valuable manuscripts, and the armoury displays an outstanding collection of historic weapons and armour.

Visiting & Tips

Hohenzollern Castle is privately owned by the House of Hohenzollern and is open year-round. Admission includes access to the grounds, chapels and exhibition areas; for the interior, the hourly guided tours of around 45 minutes are recommended. In summer it pays to arrive early, before midday, as the castle is one of the most visited destinations in Baden-Württemberg.

For nature lovers and hikers, the surroundings are opened up by several well-developed trails, including the Zollernburg Panorama Trail, a multi-hour loop through juniper heaths and beech woods. The castle inn on site serves regional cuisine and has a terrace with views. Accommodation can be found in Bisingen, Hechingen and Balingen, as well as in numerous holiday apartments in the surrounding Alb villages — an ideal base for further discoveries across the Swabian Alb.