Hohenzollern Castle

Hohenzollern Castle is the ancestral seat of the Prussian Kings, German Emperors and Princes of Hohenzollern. The impressive castle construction was rebuilt in the 19th century and is still privately owned by the family. Its extraordinary location already prompted Emperor William II to proclaim "The panorama from the Hohenzollern Castle is truly worth a journey".

Visit a historic fortress in the foothills of the Swabian Alps on a full-day, small-group trip from Frankfurt to the Castle of Hohenzollern. Walk the castle’s stone ramparts and pathways, and see exhibits of historic paintings, treasures, and clothing on a guided tour. This Castle of Hohenzollern excursion departs from central Frankfurt, and includes entrance fees and a guided castle tour.

The drive to the castle is a highlight of our tour—we pass the views of mountain peaks and the German countryside on our way to the Swabian Alps, which stretch from the Danube to the Black Forest.

Upon arrival at the Castle of Hohenzollern, you can take a guided tour of the site, learning about the imperial family that built the castle then filled it with a remarkable collection of art and artifacts. See pieces worked from gold and silver, displays of porcelain and painting, and the clothing that the castle’s residents once wore, and get a glimpse of daily life in the grand castle.

In addition to the guided tour of the Castle of Hohenzollern, you’ll have time to explore on your own, taking photographs, walking the walls, or sampling freshly-baked cakes and Swabian treats in the castle’s restaurant and beer garden.

Location of Hollenzollern Castle: 

Above Hechingen and Bisingen in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Hohenzollern Castle is approximately 50 kilometres south of Stuttgart. It is one of the most popular day trips from Stuttgart, and one of the best castles near Stuttgart.

The Hohenzollern Castle Germany sits at 855 meters (2,805 ft) on Burg Hohenzollern and the castle takes its name from the mountain or vice versa, it is sometimes very hotly debated. The mountain is known to locals as Zoller.

Today many of the castles you see become surrounded by towns with urban crawl getting closer all the time to these historic buildings. Not so with Burg Hohenzollern, it sits magnificently on top of a hill and looks like it belongs in the sky.

Visit Burg Hohenzollern

Getting to the castle is a bit tricky. There are two daily trains from Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof to Hechingen station. From there, a shuttle bus (or taxi) will drive you up the mountain to the castle entrance. The trains depart Stuttgart at 10:16 and 12:16 and the journey takes just over one hour.

On our visit to Burg Hohenzollern, I had never heard of this castle or seen it in a picture.  So as we approached, after coming through the Black Forest, it started looming large on top of the hill. As we got closer and closer, to say I was awestruck is a huge understatement!

 Hohenzollern Castle Germany has a legend about the white lady of the castle.The story tells as follows: Countess Kunigunde was a prominent figure during the 14th century. A relative to the Hohenzollern family was the countess. The countess had lost here husaband and was a widow. She fell in love with a young Nürnburg prince and as their love story unfolded, they were ready to marry each other. Once the news reached the prince’s parents’ ears, they replied diplomatically that this could not possibly happen while having “four eyes watching”. By that they meant themselves, and that they wouldn’t allow the marriage while the were alive.  Distraught at the news the countess totally misunderstood their message. she assumed the prince's parents were refering to her two children – a boy and a girl 2 and 3 years old respectively. The countess blinded by her love for the prince stabbed both her children in the heads and murdered them. Once the young prince learned about her act of madness, he turned away from her. After that Kunigunde went to Rome to seek forgiveness for her sins and promised to establish a monastery in the name of God. After returning, the countess founded the monastery of Himmelkron  and she became its Abbot.

Schloss Hohenzollern hours:

Summer season:

16 March – 31 October:10:00 – 17:30 hrsevery day*

Winter season:

01 November – 15 March:10:00 – 16:30 hrs