Ah, Burg Hohenzollern.  What a magnificent castle!

Located south of Stuttgart, Germany, this modest pad is the family seat for the House of Hohenzollern.  Per the official site of the castle:

The first personal related reference of the Hohenzollern House dates back to 1061 (“Wezil et Burchardus de Zolorin”). First direct mention of the Castle complex (“Castro Zolre”) was in 1267. Appearance, size and furnishing of the original Castle are unknown, but presumably it was in the first decade of the 11th century. At that time it must have been a vast and artistically valuable furnished complex. Contemporary sources praised it as “Crown of all Castles in Swabia” and as “the most fortified House in Germany”. However in 1423, the Castle was completely destroyed.

From 1454 the second Hohenzollern Castle was constructed bigger and even more fortified than before. Later, during the Thirty Years War, the Castle was converted into a fortress with repeatedly changing owners. Since the maintenance of the building was neglected, it dilapidated and turned into ruins at the beginning of the 19th century.

In 1819 Crown Prince Frederick William of Prussia decided to have the ancestral seat of the Hohenzollern House reconstructed. In 1844, being King Frederick William IV, he wrote in a letter: “The memories of the year 1819 are exceedingly dear to me and like a pleasant dream, it was especially the sunset we watched from one of the Castle bastions, … now this adolescent dream turned into the wish to make the Hohenzollern Castle habitable again…”

From 1850 he put his long lasting dream into reality and created one of Germany’s most imposing Castle complexes in a neo-Gothic style. With its many towers and fortifications, it is an acclaimed masterpiece of military architecture in the 19th century. Additional civil architectural elements make it to a unique attraction. The location on the most beautiful mountain in Swabia, gives the Castle a picturesque appearance.

Any way, I recently found an interesting documentary on You Tube, from 1992, which discusses the brilliant history and construction of this magnificent castle.

So, sit back, relax and enjoy!    🙂

Part One, Part Two, and Part Three

Source: Burg Hohenzollern