Stendal, Germany
15th century
Bad Wilhelmshöhe, Germany
1689
Neuffen, Germany
12th century
Schleiden, Germany
1935
Hohenstaufen, Germany
c. 1070
Neckarsteinach, Germany
12th century
Riedenburg, Germany
12th century
Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz, Germany
12th century
Ansbach, Germany
1726-1743
Schriesheim, Germany
Traben-Trarbach, Germany
1350
Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
1330
Groitzsch, Germany
11th century
Weimar, Germany
1778-1828
Baden-Baden, Germany
c. 1200
Dargun, Germany
1172
Hochburg, Germany
11th century
Neckarsteinach, Germany
13th century
Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge, Germany
13th century
Dossenheim, Germany
12th 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.