Veytaux, Switzerland
12th century
Gruyères, Switzerland
1270-1282
Bellinzona, Switzerland
13th century
Laufen-Uhwiesen, Switzerland
9th century AD
Morges, Switzerland
1286
Sion, Switzerland
14th century
Neuhausen am Rheinfall, Switzerland
1348
Rapperswil-Jona, Switzerland
1200-1220
Thun, Switzerland
1180-1190
Lausanne, Switzerland
1397-1425
Nyon, Switzerland
13th century
Neuchâtel, Switzerland
11th century
Zug, Switzerland
13th century
Appenzell, Switzerland
1563
Avenches, Switzerland
13th century
Oberhofen am Thunersee, Switzerland
c. 1200
Bellinzona, Switzerland
14th century
Basel, Switzerland
1473
Schaffhausen, Switzerland
1564-1589
Delémont, Switzerland
1716-1721
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.