The Grosse Cloche is one of the oldest belfries in France, in the heart of Bordeaux. It was built in the 8th century AD to the site of ancient Gallo-Roman gate and restored in the 15-16th centuries. The bell was cast in 1775 and weighs than 7,750 kilos. The bell was used to inform and alert citizens. It is the symbol of Bordeaux and still in the city coat of arms.
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.