Hohenzollern Castle

House of Hohenzollern

Hohenzollern Castle is located in Baden-Württemberg on a hilltop between the communities of Hechingen and Bisingen. It is the ancestral seat of the imperial House of Hohenzollern and therefore of the Prussian royal family. The castle is still owned by the family's descendants today.

Architecture

The castle can be divided into four main parts: the fortifications, the main building, the chapels and the castle gardens. On the castle grounds there are chapels of three different religions: a Catholic chapel, a Protestant chapel, and a Russian Orthodox chapel.

Points of Interest

In addition to the castle itself, the showrooms and state rooms are particularly worth seeing. This is where history comes alive, as numerous anecdotes from the life of the royal and imperial families are told. One highlight is the Treasury, where valuables ranging from table silver to the wardrobe of the sovereigns can be seen. For example, the snuffboxes of Frederick the Great are on display. The undisputed main event of the exhibition, however, is the Prussian royal crown.

The Castle Today

The castle is used for cultural events such as concerts, exhibitions and a Christmas market on the first and second weekend of Advent. It also houses the Princess Kira of Prussia Foundation, which offers socially disadvantaged children a recreational holiday at the castle. The castle rooms can only be visited with a guided tour lasting about 45 minutes. The grounds of the castle you can explore on your own.

The castle is situated on the 855 meter high Mount Hohenzollern and the first constructions there probably date back to the 11th century. Despite its location, the castle was often conquered and destroyed in its time. Therefore, it is no longer in its original condition, but has been rebuilt several times. The castle in its present form was finally completed in 1867.

By car:

First you have to take the A81 to Stuttgart-Singen to the exit Empfingen. From here you continue on the B463 to Balingen and then on the B27 to Hechingen. Take the exit Hechingen Süd and follow the signs to Hohenzollern Castle.

You can then park your car in the parking lot of Hohenzollern Castle for 2€ per day. From there you can take a shuttle bus to the castle. Alternatively, you can also walk for about 25 minutes.

By public transport:

You can also reach Hohenzollern Castle with trains from the Deutsche Bahn. All you have to do is take a train from your starting point to Hechingen railway station. You can do this, for example, with an IRE from Stuttgart. From there, a bus leaves several times a day to the parking lot at Hohenzollern Castle.