Do you love castles and the history that surrounds them? Castles are found around the world and have become a popular destinations for tourists looking to explore history. Tourico Vacations Reviews Hohenzollern Castle, one of Germany’s top destinations for castle lovers. The first mention in history of Hohenzollern Castle is ascribed to the Zolorin family, from whence the house got its name. Hohenzollern roughly translates to House of Zolorin. The original size, furnishings, and appearance of the castle are unknown, but what is known illustrates that it dates back to sometime between 1010 and 1020. The first time it was referenced as the Hohenzollern Castle was in 1267 when it is thought to have been a vast estate, valuably furnished. Contemporaries reference it as The Crown Castle, and the most fortified home in all of Germany; but, unfortunately, the complex met with complete destruction in 1423.
In 1454, the second castle was built, outsizing the one before it, and was more structurally sound that its predecessor. During the time of the Thirty Year War, the estate became a fortress for respite from the war, but it changed ownership several times during this time. While it was certainly grand for its time, owners neglected the estate’s maintenance and, by the early 1800s, the castle was in ruins.
In 1819, Frederick William, the Crown Prince of Prussia, decided to undertake the immense operation of reconstructing the castle to its former glory, but vaster and more fortified than ever before. In a letter he wrote as the King in 1844, Frederick William reminisced of the summer of 1819 when, as a mere boy, he’d decided to recreate this castle, and by 1850 his dream had become a reality. He redesigned the castle in the neo-Gothic style of architecture and it became one of the most acclaimed masterpieces of modern military structures of the 19th century.
Little more than a hundred years later, Louis Ferdinand, the Prince of Prussia, continued his family’s work and furnished the castle with one-of-a-kind works of art and historically significant pieces hearkening of the Kings of Prussia. Works of gold- and silversmiths of the age were also displayed.
While earthquakes in the 1970s caused extensive damage to the estate, renovations took place to restore her to her former glory and the expanse of the castle and grounds are now available for public tours. Tourico Vacations Reviews Hohenzollern Castle and other great destinations around the world.
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