Habsburg, Switzerland
1020-1030
Binningen, Switzerland
1290s
Vaumarcus, Switzerland
13th century
Münchenstein, Switzerland
1260-1270
Mammern, Switzerland
13th century
Amriswil, Switzerland
13th century
Maienfeld, Switzerland
13th century
Cham, Switzerland
9th century AD
Hitzkirch, Switzerland
13th century
Aubonne, Switzerland
12th century
Colombier, Switzerland
11th century
Winterthur, Switzerland
13th century
Aarwangen, Switzerland
c. 1300
Bern, Switzerland
c. 1250
Tuggen, Switzerland
13th century
Schwarzenburg, Switzerland
12th century
Pfäfers, Switzerland
1206
Pfeffingen, Switzerland
13th century
Bubendorf, Switzerland
13th century
Wattwil, Switzerland
1240
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.