Here’s a beautiful castle straight out of Harry Potter! Perched atop its rock at 900 meters altitude, it overlooks the entire Swabian Jura valley and impresses us as soon as we arrive.
The ancestral residence of the Prussian royal family, this privately-owned castle is still temporarily inhabited by the royal family, so not all rooms are open to the public.
Located approximately 50 km from Stuttgart in Germany, atop Mount Hohenzollern, the castle offers a spectacular panorama on clear days.
This neo-Gothic castle with its ramparts and turrets was built by the Hohenzollern family. Over the years, it has undergone several changes and survived numerous wars. The current castle began its transformation in the 1800s under King Frederick William IV of Prussia, with construction finally completing in 1967 under King William I.
Visiting Hohenzollern Castle
All printed explanations within the castle are in German, and there are no audio guides available for the tour. Therefore, we recommend downloading the castle’s app from the App Store or Google Play, which provides details, anecdotes, and explanations about the castle in German, English, and French.
Additionally, the castle offers free Wi-Fi for visitors. Photography and filming are permitted both indoors and outdoors, without flash and without selfie sticks; however, drone photography is strictly prohibited.
The visit to Hohenzollern Castle is structured into three distinct parts:
The castle exterior
Built in a Neo-Gothic Middle Ages style, the castle doesn’t have gardens like those seen in 18th-century German castles. Perched at 900 meters altitude, you can walk around the ramparts with breathtaking 360-degree views! Don’t miss the chapel during your stroll, which still houses the tombs of several Hohenzollern family members.
The castle interiors
The impressive entrance features the family tree. Your tour will lead you from towers to sumptuous halls. The visit lasts about thirty minutes, possibly longer if you take the time to read everything or listen closely to your audio guide on your phone. Take in the woodwork, ceilings, and the numerous collections that furnish the rooms, such as art collections, silverware, porcelain, and period clothing. You’ll also discover numerous paintings and photographs of the family over the centuries.
The treasure room
In this section, for security reasons, filming and photography are not allowed. The Treasure Room, or Schatzkammer, lives up to its name, secured by a reinforced door where you’ll find a wealth of precious items: jewels, crowns, silver, swords, documents, and more. Notably, you can admire Kaiser Wilhelm II’s crown, a letter from George Washington, and personal effects of Frederick the Great.
Practical information: Hours, parking, dining, prices, and camping-car accommodation at Hohenzollern Castle
Visiting hours for Hohenzollern Castle: The castle is open daily from 10:00 AM to 6:30 PM, with last admissions at 5:30 PM.
Dining options at the castle: Inside the castle, there’s a small café-restaurant open all day. Here, you can enjoy traditional dishes for meals and pastries for snacks. Prices are quite reasonable, with large slices of cake costing around 4 euros each!
Castle admission prices:
- Adults: 22 euros
- Children: 10 euros
- Family (up to 2 adults and 2 children): 45 euros It’s advisable to book your tickets online for better rates.
Accommodation tip: If you’re staying at a hotel, consider getting the “Schwarzwald Plus Card” which provides free access to many attractions, including the castle.
Parking facilities at the castle: There are two large parking lots at the bottom of the castle, one of which is specifically for camping-cars (RVs) where you can even spend the night for free. A free shuttle runs every 10 minutes from the parking lot to the base of the castle. Alternatively, you can hike up, though the slope is steep—a challenge for the more adventurous!
Things to do around Hohenzollern Castle
Make the most of your visit to Hohenzollern Castle by exploring the Black Forest!
- Visit Triberg im Schwarzwald, a charming mountain town where you can see Germany’s highest waterfall, taste a Black Forest cake, and admire thousands of cuckoo clocks.
- Continue your castle exploration by visiting Sigmaringen Castle, once a seat of one branch of the Hohenzollern family.
- Go hiking in the Schönbuch Nature Park. With its 560 km of marked trails, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
- Explore Bebenhausen Monastery, one of Southern Germany’s most beautiful monasteries located on the edge of the nature park, combining cultural visits with scenic hikes.
