The magnificent Hohenzollern Castle stands proudly on the top of the hill of the same name, which rises almost 900 meters above a valley just a few meters from the center of Hechingen, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
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| Hohenzollern Castle |
The medieval fortress walls and towers, combined with neo-romantic towers and turrets, give the castle a peculiar appeal. The castle seems to have been taken from the illustrations of children's fairy tales, of kings and princesses waiting for their loved ones.
The current Hohenzollern Castle underwent three stages of construction. In the 13th century it was a reliable military fortress. Later, in the 15th century, the House of Hohenzoller, to strengthen its security, erected a second renovated castle that played an important role in its destiny during the Thirty Years' War. The third castle was erected as early as the 19th century, with the direct participation of the King of Prussia, Frederick William IV.
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| Hohenzollern Castle |
Unlike another world-famous castle in Germany, Neuschwanstein, also a vivid representative of the Neo-Romantic style and built around the same period, Hohenzollern Castle retained elements of medieval architecture that its visitors can still see. Among these highlights of the Hohenzollern Castle is the Chapel of St. Michael, dated 1461, and which is probably believed to be the original today. In addition to the chapels, unique medieval architecture can be seen in the surviving cellars and casemates of the first castle, open to the public since 2001.
In total, the interiors of this grand Hohenzollern castle comprise 140 rooms, including a library decorated with wall paintings, the King's Hall, the 'Family Tree' room and the Queen's Blue Room. The latter is so named, because it features exclusive examples of furniture, finished with blue curtains, which are successfully combined with gilded ceilings and walls, carved and decorated with portraits of Prussian queens and other royals.
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| Hohenzollern Castle |
Unique collections are offered in the corridors of the castle for the attention of visitors. The castle's royal treasury features historical exhibits such as the crown of Wilhelm II of Germany and personal belongings of Frederick the Great.
Visiting Hohenzollern on special days, your guests, in addition to exploring the collections and rooms, can take part in various entertainment events. In mid-September there are falconry days at the castle, in August there are fireworks and in June there is a summer season opening party. In addition, Shakespeare plays are performed throughout the year at the summer theater, located in the castle courtyard.
Hohenzollern Castle History
The first historical mention of the castle of Hohenzollern ("Castro Zolre") dates from 1267. The exact date of the construction of the castle, its original dimensions and the situation, is unknown, but probably the raising of the original castle took place in the second half. 11th century. On the other hand, it is known that the appearance of the "House of Hohenzollern" in the historical chronicles is dated to 1061.
By the 13th century, the Hohenzollern Castle was already an extensive complex, hailed by chroniclers as the best castle in Swabia. The first castle lasted until 1423, when it was attacked by enemies of the Hohenzollern, being totally destroyed during the civil wars.
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| Hohenzollern Castle |
In 1454 the second castle was built, bigger and better fortified. In the years following subsequent major wars, such as the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) and the War of the Austrian Succession, the castle was at the center of various conflicts. The fortress, for two centuries, changed owners several times, mainly along the Habsburg line. At the end of the 18th century, the castle remained without an owner and gradually began its decline.
Frederick William IV was the eldest son of the Prussian King Frederick William III. He was born on October 15, 1795 in Berlin, and on June 7, 1840 after the death of his father he took the title of monarch. He was king of Prussia almost until his death. Frederick William IV was responsible for grandiose construction projects and even, as a prince, he dreamed of erecting monumental buildings. He contacted several famous architects of the time and helped design notable new buildings in Berlin and Potsdam. One of those famous architects was Friedrich August Stüler, who took a direct part in the work on the last castle in Hohenzollern. At that time, Stüler's head had a multitude of brilliant projects that transformed the appearance of many German cities.
It is possible that the decision to restore the Hohenzollern family heritage came to Frederick William in 1819, while visiting the castle itself. In 1844, after he became king, he wrote...
«The memories of 1819 years are very appreciated by me, especially the colorful sunset, as if from a fairy tale dream, that we enjoyed one of the bastions... now this young dream has turned into the desire to do the Hohenzollern castle habitable again '.
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| Hohenzollern Castle |
From 1850, Federico Guillermo began to realize his long dream, creating one of the most impressive castles in Germany, in the neo-Gothic style. The architectural part of the project was entrusted to the aforementioned Friedrich August Stüler. The new Hohenzollern residence opened on October 3, 1867. The new castle played a memorial role and did not serve as a primary residence. Only at the end of World War II did it become a haven for the family of the last Prussian crown prince, Friedrich Wilhelm.
Starting in 1952, Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia began updating the castle's interior collections with works of art and related historical values, such as the history of Prussia and the history of its rulers. As a result of this work, today, in the galleries and rooms of the castle, you can see paintings by well-known masters of the fine arts such as Gerard van Honthorst (17th century Dutch painter), Antoine Peng (court chamber painter Prussian royal of the 18th century), Anton Alexander von Werner (German artist from the late 19th to early 20th century) and Franz Seraph Lenbach (19th century German painter and representative of the Munich school of painting), as well assamples of gold and silver contraptions created by masters of artistic foundry between the 17th and 19th centuries.
On September 3, 1978, as a result of an earthquake, Hohenzollern Castle suffered significant damage, for which reason it was closed for reconstruction for several years. Currently, the maintenance of the castle, as well as its protection and restoration, are financed by the sale of tickets. Every year, the castle is visited by 300,000 from all over the world.