Burg Hohenzollern, Germany
1454/1846
Leipzig, Germany
1670
Mainz, Germany
c. 1240
Würzburg, Germany
1200
Braubach, Germany
c. 1117
Königstein, Germany
13th century
Füssen, Germany
13th century
Wierschem, Germany
12th century
Cochem, Germany
1100
Meißen, Germany
10th century
Coburg, Germany
13th century
Burg an der Wupper, Germany
c. 1133
Dorsten, Germany
17th century
Geltendorf, Germany
1292
Saarbrücken, Germany
18th century
Bielefeld, Germany
13th century
Cologne, Germany
1235-1240
Pillnitz, Germany
1720
Tübingen, Germany
c. 1037
Königswinter, Germany
1138-1167
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.