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Sigmaringen Castle (German: Schloss Sigmaringen) was the princely castle and seat of government for the Princes of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. Situated in the Swabian Alb (German: Schwäbische Alb) region of Baden-Württemberg, Germany, this castle dominates the skyline of the town of Sigmaringen. The castle was rebuilt following a fire in 1893, and only the towers of the earlier medieval fortress remain.

Location

Sigmaringen is located on the southern edge of the Swabian Alb a plateau region in southern Baden-Württemberg. The Hohenzollern castle was built below the narrow Danube river valley in the modern Upper Danube Nature Park (German: Naturpark Obere Donau). The castle rises above the Danube River on a towering chalk projection of the white jura formation. The hill is known simply as the Schlossberg or Castle Rock. The Schlossberg is about 200 m long and up to 35 m above the river. On this free standing rock tower, the princely Hohenzollern castle is the largest of the Danube valley castles. The shear cliffs and steep sides of the tower made it a natural site for a well protected medieval castle. The castle is located about 605 m above sea level, while the Danube is about 570 m.

History

The first castle at Sigmaringen appeared during the end of the Early Middle Ages, during the early 11^th Century. The castle was first mentioned in 1077 following the unsuccessful siege of Burg Sigmaringen by Rudolf von Swabia in his fight against the King of Germany, Henry IV^[1]. In 1083 a pair of brothers, Ludwig and Manegold von Sigmaringen, are listed as witnesses on a document for the Königseggwald abbey.

Ludwig von Sigmaringen was married to Richinza von Spitzenberg, daughter of Berthold I. von Zähringen^[2]. At the end of the 11^th Century he built a castle on Spitzenberg mountain by Kuchen, Germany. The castle and the surrounding land and villages were part of the inheritance of Richinza. From the marriage of Richinza and Ludwig they had four childern; Mathilde von Spitzenberg, the wife of Aribo von Wertingen, the clergyman Ulrich von Sigmaringen, Ludwig II. von Sigmaringen-Spitzenberg and Manegold von Sigmaringen-Spitzenberg. The three brothers, Ulrich, Ludwig and Mangold von Sigmaringen are named as the founders of the 11^th Century St. George's Abbey in the Black Forest.

From 1133 until 1170 Rudolf von Sigmaringen-Spitzenberg, the son of Ludwig II. von Sigmaringen-Spitzenberg, ruled at Sigmaringen. In 1183 Graf (or Count) Ludwig von Sigmaringen-Spitzenberg-Helfenstein, the son of Rudolf, is mentioned at the castle. In 1147 Ludwig as well as his father Rudolf and brother Ulrich II von Sigmaringen-Spitzenberg, is mentioned in a document from Walters von Dillingen, Bishop of Augsburg, as lords of Spitzenberg-Sigmaringen.

Under the Helfenstein family, the castle was renovated around 1200. The castle was totally rebuilt with buckel stones (squared off stones with a rounded outer surface). Between 1209 and 1258 the castle was occupied by Count Gottried von Sigmaringen-Helfenstein and his son Count Gebhard von Sigmaringen-Pietengau. In 1258 the cousin of Count Gebhard, Count Ulrich II. von Helfenstein, became the owner of Burg Sigmaringen. Later, Ulrich's daughter Agnes married Count Ulrich I. von Montfort. Following the marriage in 1272, Sigmaringen was owned by the Counts of Montfort. Then, in 1290 Count Hugo V. von Montfort, son of Ulrich I. von Montfort sold the castle and the city of Sigmaringen to Albrecht and Rudolf von Habsburg.

References

^ From the Chronicle of Petershausen Abbey: From there King Rudolf of Swabia marched to Burg Sigmaringen and besieged it. Once he discovered that King Henry IV. and his army approached though the alpine passes toward his army, he lifted the siege and moved to Sachsen.
^ Template:De iconFrom Heinz Bühler: Richinza von Spitzenberg und ihr Verwandtenkreis. Ein Beitrag zur Geschichte der Grafen von Helfenstein. In: Württembergisch Franken, Heft 58, 1974. In the book she is called vidua de Spitzenberg

Template:German

German References

Chronik der Grafen von Zimmern, 1564-1566, Band 1-3. Hrsg. Decker-Hauff, 1964/67
Die Kunstdenkmäler Hohenzollerns, Band 2. Landkreis Sigmaringen, 1948
Gerd Dörr: Schwäbische Alb, Burgen, Schlösser, Ruinen. HB-Bildstlas. 1988
Wilhelm Gradmann: Burgen und Schlösser der Schwäbischen Alb. 1980
Handbuch Historischer Stätten Deutschlands. Baden Württemberg. 1965
Gustav Hebeisen: Schloß Sigmaringen In: Burgwart. 1924. Nr. 1/2 Fürstliches Hohenzollernsches Schloß Sigmaringen
Prinz Johann Georg von Hohenzollern: Der Museumsbau in Sigmaringen In: Blätter des Landes Denkmalamt, 1962
Alfons Kasper: Kunstwanderungen kreuz und quer der Donau. 1964
Walter Kaufhold: Schloß Sigmaringen. Die Geschichte der Burg- u. der Schloßherren. In: Kunstführer Nr. 580. Verlag Schnell & Steiner. München 1953
Walter Kaufhold, Rudolf Seigel: Schloß Sigmaringen und das Fürstliche Haus Hohenzollern. Konstanz 1966
Walter Kaufhold, Das Fürstlich Hohenzollernsche Museum in Sigmaringen, Schnell Kunstführer Nr. 1269, Verlag Schnell & Steiner, München und Zürich 1981
Peter Kempf: Schloß Sigmaringen mit Sammlungen In: Blätter des Schwäbischen Albvereins, Nr. 2, 1987. 1987
Naturpark Obere Donau. Wanderführer 1964
Wilfried Pfefferkorn: Burgen unseres Landes - Schwäbische Alb. 1962
Günter Schmitt: Sigmaringen. In: Ders.: Burgenführer Schwäbische Alb. Band 3: Donautal. Wandern und entdecken zwischen Sigmaringen und Tuttlingen. S. 41-62. Biberacher Verlagsdruckerei. Biberach 1990. ISBN 3-924489-50-5
Stammtafeln zur Geschichte der europäischen Staaten. Band 1 und 2. 1965
Stefan Uhl: Buckelquader an Burgen. Manuskript. 1983
Johann Nepomuk Vanotti: Geschichte der Grafen von Montfort und von Werdenberg. 1988
Helmut Voith: Führer durch die Museen im Kreis Sigmaringen. 1986
Eva Walter, Walter Pfündel: Strefzüge im Donautal. 1989
Dr. Karl Theodor Zingeler und Georg Buck: Zollerische Schlösser, Burgen und Burgruinen in Schwaben. 1906

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48°05′16″N 9°13′01″E / 48.08778°N 9.21694°E / 48.08778; 9.21694

[1] From the Chronicle of Petershausen Abbey: From there King Rudolf of Swabia marched to Burg Sigmaringen and besieged it. Once he discovered that King Henry IV. and his army approached though the alpine passes toward his army, he lifted the siege and moved to Sachsen.

[2] Template:De iconFrom Heinz Bühler: Richinza von Spitzenberg und ihr Verwandtenkreis. Ein Beitrag zur Geschichte der Grafen von Helfenstein. In: Württembergisch Franken, Heft 58, 1974. In the book she is called vidua de Spitzenberg

[1]

[2]

@@ Line 9: / Line 9: @@
 ==History==
-The first castle at Sigmaringen appeared during the end of the [[Early Middle Ages]], during the early [[11th Century|11<sup>th</sup> Century]].  The castle was first mentioned in [[1077]] following the unsuccessful [[siege]] of ''Burg Sigmaringen'' by Rudolf von [[Swabia]] in his fight against the [[King of Germany]], [[Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor|Henry IV]]<ref> From the Chronicle of [[Petershausen Abbey]]: ''From there King Rudolf of Swabia marched to Burg Sigmaringen and besieged it.  Once he discovered that King Henry IV. and his army approached though the alpine passes to lift the siege, he lifted the siege and moved to [[Sachsen]].''</ref>.  In [[1083]] a pair of brothers, Ludwig and Manegold von Sigmaringen, are listed as witnesses on a document for the [[Königseggwald]] abbey.
+The first castle at Sigmaringen appeared during the end of the [[Early Middle Ages]], during the early [[11th Century|11<sup>th</sup> Century]].  The castle was first mentioned in [[1077]] following the unsuccessful [[siege]] of ''Burg Sigmaringen'' by Rudolf von [[Swabia]] in his fight against the [[King of Germany]], [[Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor|Henry IV]]<ref> From the Chronicle of [[Petershausen Abbey]]: ''From there King Rudolf of Swabia marched to Burg Sigmaringen and besieged it.  Once he discovered that King Henry IV. and his army approached though the alpine passes toward his army, he lifted the siege and moved to [[Sachsen]].''</ref>.  In [[1083]] a pair of brothers, Ludwig and Manegold von Sigmaringen, are listed as witnesses on a document for the [[Königseggwald]] abbey.
+Ludwig von Sigmaringen was married to Richinza von Spitzenberg, daughter of [[Berthold II, Duke of Carinthia|Berthold I.]] [[House of Zähringen|von Zähringen]]<ref>{{de_icon}}From Heinz Bühler: ''Richinza von Spitzenberg und ihr Verwandtenkreis. Ein Beitrag zur Geschichte der Grafen von Helfenstein''. In: Württembergisch Franken, Heft 58, 1974.  ''In the book she is called '''vidua de Spitzenberg''' ''</ref>.  At the end of the 11<sup>th</sup> Century he built a castle on ''Spitzenberg'' mountain by [[Kuchen, Germany]].  The castle and the surrounding land and villages were part of the inheritance of Richinza.  From the marriage of Richinza and Ludwig they had four childern; Mathilde von Spitzenberg, the wife of Aribo von [[Wertingen]], the [[clergyman]] Ulrich von Sigmaringen, Ludwig II. von Sigmaringen-Spitzenberg and Manegold von Sigmaringen-Spitzenberg.  The three brothers, Ulrich, Ludwig and Mangold von Sigmaringen are named as the founders of the 11<sup>th</sup> Century [[St. George's Abbey in the Black Forest]].
+From [[1133]] until [[1170]] Rudolf von Sigmaringen-Spitzenberg, the son of Ludwig II. von Sigmaringen-Spitzenberg, ruled at Sigmaringen.  In [[1183]] [[Graf]] (or [[Count]]) Ludwig von Sigmaringen-Spitzenberg-[[Ruine Helfenstein|Helfenstein]], the son of Rudolf, is mentioned at the castle.  In [[1147]] Ludwig as well as his father Rudolf and brother Ulrich II von Sigmaringen-Spitzenberg, is mentioned in a document from Walters von [[Dillingen]], [[Prince-Bishopric of Augsburg|Bishop of Augsburg]], as lords of Spitzenberg-Sigmaringen.
+Under the Helfenstein family, the castle was renovated around [[1200]].  The castle was totally rebuilt with [[Rustication (architecture)|buckel stones]] (squared off stones with a rounded outer surface).  Between [[1209]] and [[1258]] the castle was occupied by Count Gottried von Sigmaringen-Helfenstein and his son Count Gebhard von Sigmaringen-Pietengau.  In 1258 the cousin of Count Gebhard, Count Ulrich II. von Helfenstein, became the owner of Burg Sigmaringen.  Later, Ulrich's daughter Agnes married Count Ulrich I. von Montfort.  Following the marriage in [[1272]], Sigmaringen was owned by the [[County of Montfort (Vorarlberg)|Counts of Montfort]].  Then, in [[1290]] Count Hugo V. von Montfort, son of Ulrich I. von Montfort sold the castle and the city of Sigmaringen to Albrecht and Rudolf von [[House of Habsburg|Habsburg]].
 ==See also==
@@ Line 21: / Line 27: @@
 * {{German|Schloss Sigmaringen|[[February 22]], [[2008]]}}
 ===German References===
-* Heinz Bühler: ''Richinza von Spitzenberg und ihr Verwandtenkreis. Ein Beitrag zur Geschichte der Grafen von Helfenstein''. In: Württembergisch Franken, Heft 58, 1974
 * ''Chronik der Grafen von Zimmern, 1564-1566, Band 1-3''. Hrsg. Decker-Hauff, 1964/67
 * ''Die Kunstdenkmäler Hohenzollerns, Band 2''. Landkreis Sigmaringen, 1948