Leutkirch im Allgäu, Germany
1599-1614
Heppenheim, Germany
1065
Dinkelsbühl, Germany
1764
Manderscheid, Germany
12th century
Essen, Germany
1647
Maroldsweisach, Germany
13th century
Ascheberg, Germany
17th century
Lüdinghausen, Germany
12th century
Klingenberg am Main, Germany
1160-1170
Dagstuhl, Germany
13th century
Neckarzimmern, Germany
12th century
Weinheim, Germany
1907-1928
Kallmünz, Germany
c. 900 AD
Brüggen, Germany
13th century
Bad Rappenau, Germany
1601
Tauberbischofsheim, Germany
13th century
Hattingen, Germany
1227-1243
Stadtprozelten, Germany
c. 1200
Weiler, Germany
12th century
Wolfegg, Germany
16th century
Sigmaringen Castle was first mentioned in the year 1077 in the chronicles of Petershausen monastery. The oldest parts of the castle are concealed beneath the alterations made during the 17th and the 19th centuries. The secret of the earliest settlement built on this defendable rock will never be fully revealed: large-scale excavation work would be necessary, which the extensive land development renders impossible. Judging from the many Roman remains unearthed in the area around Sigmaringen, the 12th century keep known as the 'Roman Tower' could be traced back to a Roman predecessor.
The castle remains that have been preserved (gate, great hall and keep) date back to the Staufer period around 1200. The castle remains were integrated into subsequent buildings. The foundations of the castle buildings are to a large extent identical to the surrounding castle wall.
These remains give us a good idea of how the castle might have looked during the 12th century.