Kobern-Gondorf, Germany
1859-1960
Kipfenberg, Germany
12th century
Schillingsfürst, Germany
1753-1793
Bad Liebenzell, Germany
12th century
Wachtberg, Germany
11th century
Weilerswist, Germany
14th century
Altenahr, Germany
14th century
Lambrecht, Germany
13th century
Battenberg, Germany
13th century
Lambrecht, Germany
12th century
Ortenburg, Germany
1562
Heimerzheim, Germany
13th century
Sulzberg, Germany
c. 1170
Lüdinghausen, Germany
1120
Höhr-Grenzhausen, Germany
c. 1210
Gnotzheim, Germany
12th century
Borgholzhausen, Germany
17th century
Bacharach, Germany
12th century
Burglengenfeld, Germany
12th century
Bonndorf im Schwarzwald, Germany
c. 1200
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.