Hohenburg castle is assumed to be constructed in the second half of the 13th century. The influence of the Hohenburg family was extensive in the area between Bitche, Saargmünd and Pirmasens. There were feudal relations with the King but also to the Count of Zweibrücken and to the Counts Palatine. The castle is situated close to the German-French border on the Alsace side.
The first known representative of a Hohenburg family was Gottfried Puller who served in the military under the Emperor Friedrich II in 1236. In 1262 the name Hohenburg is documented for the first time, when Konrad and Heinrich of Hohenburg transferred their property to the bishop Heinrich II of Speyer.
The castle was seriously damaged in 1386 by the troops of Strasbourg during the siege and conquest of the neighbouring Löwenstein Castle. During the 30 Year War the castle was seriously damaged and in the 1780’s it was completely destroyed by French troops.
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.