Sigmaringen Castle in Bavaria German: some history & description
Welcome to Sigmaringen Castle...a name that sings in your ears! Amost 1000 years old, it was first mentioned as a stronghold in 1077.. It then became a residence of Hohenzollern princes & princesses. Different styles of architecture have left their trace: Medieval or roman, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque. The river below it's high walls is the Danube. From 1535 on it became the Castle of the nobility of the Hohenzollern family & the theater of historic international events since this family was one of the oldest & most powerful families of Germany. In the 19th century (1981) Karl-Anton built close relationships between his descendance & all the reigning families of Europe:since he married his 2 daughters into the royale families of Portugal & Belgium & his oldest son, Leopold married a Spanish princess had to renonce the crown of Spain for political reasons. Karl-Anton became the founder of the royal family of Roumania in 1981.Born in 1839 he lived till 1914.
In the castle a visitor will find collections of works (paintings & sculptures, classware or metal pieces, tapistry) by great German (Souabe) masters. These items are witnesses of a strong religious live which caracterised the family in the 15th & 16 centuries. Some objects even date back to the stone age to the period of the "Alamans" (10,000 years B.C. to 700 A.D.) The viewing of these objets permit the visitor & journey through the history & evolution of humanity. the Hall of Tapistry is called the Portugese Galerie & is lined with Tapistries from Flanders (Belgium) making for a very somptuous decor for yearly concerts. The castle has one of the largest collections of arms in Europe because of Karl-Anton's passion of collection different, unique & curious ones. Hunting was another of his passions & there is another hall that exposes his Hunting Trophies.
July 30, 2010 by Linda (Translated from a brochure)