Château de la Bourbansais was built in in 1583 by Jean du Breil. At this time, the château was smaller than today. It was only composed of the façade and the two towers. The first modifications was made in the seventeenth century, with the construction of the west façade, in front of the french gardens. Then, in the 18th century, the family d’Armaillé, wanted to receive their guests with fast and luxury to show their power. They added the two wings, French gardens and the ground floor was transformed in french salons for receptions. The two wings were the apartments of the guests who could stay here more than a month. The façade is said “Renaissance” because the large symmetry with the windows. The donjon and the ditches date from the Middle Ages.
Today there is a zoo in the lands of château.
References: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.