Burg Hohenzollern
Neo-Gothic ancestral castle of the Hohenzollerns on the Zollerberg near Hechingen – with royal chambers, a treasury holding the royal crown, and sweeping views over the Swabian Jura.
About the museum
As early as the first half of the 11th century, a large fortress of the Counts of Zollern stood on the cone-shaped Zollerberg at the edge of the Swabian Jura; the castle is documented in writing from 1267. In 1423 the Swabian League of Cities besieged the complex for ten months until the starving garrison surrendered and the castle was razed. From 1454 a second, even larger castle was built; it received a ring of bastions during the Thirty Years' War but was afterward neglected and fell into ruin in the 18th century.
The Prussian Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm visited the ruins in 1819 and conceived the plan to rebuild his dynasty's ancestral seat. As King Friedrich Wilhelm IV, he had the present neo-Gothic castle built from 1850 to designs by Friedrich August Stüler; the spiral approach road was designed by fortress architect Moritz von Prittwitz. The Catholic St. Michael's Chapel from the 15th century was incorporated into the new building. The third castle was inaugurated by King Wilhelm I on October 3, 1867.
From 1952, Louis Ferdinand Prince of Prussia furnished the castle with artworks and mementos of Prussian history and had the former castle kitchen converted into a treasury; until 1991 the coffins of Friedrich Wilhelm I and Frederick the Great also rested here. The castle is still family-owned today and is financed without state subsidies through admission, food service, and events. Since January 1, 2026, Georg Friedrich Prince of Prussia has been the sole owner, after the Swabian branch of the family transferred its one-third share.
Highlights
- Wilhelm II's Prussian royal crown in the treasury
- Frederick the Great's uniform coat and snuffbox
- Tour of 17 royal chambers on two floors
- Catholic St. Michael's Chapel from the 15th century
- Casemates with wall remains from the 11th and 15th centuries
- Views from the bastion reaching up to 100 kilometers
Permanent exhibitions
- Königliche Gemächer – Self-guided tour through ten rooms on the first floor and seven on the second, with furniture, paintings, and mementos of the Prussian kings; free smartphone audio guide.
- Schatzkammer und Kellergeschosse – The former castle kitchen holds treasures such as the Prussian royal crown and mementos of Frederick the Great, along with table silver, suits of armor, and the casemates.
- Founded
- 1952
- Operated by
- Burg Hohenzollern (Privatbesitz, Eigentümer Georg Friedrich Prinz von Preußen)
- Director
- Dr. Anja Hoppe
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €26 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €16School pupils aged 12 and over, students, and people with disabilities |
| Children & teens | €6Children aged 4–11 €6 (at the cash desk €9), children aged 0–3 €1; school pupils aged 12 and over pay the reduced price. No free admission for children. |
| Seniors | –No senior discount – retirees pay the adult price; retirees from Bisingen and Hechingen and their districts €6. |
| Visitors with disabilities | €16companion free · Reduced price for people with disabilities; two companions of wheelchair users get free admission (no general "B" marker rule is stated). |
| Students & apprentices | €16School pupils aged 12 and over and students. |
| Groups | –No separate group rate listed; groups (e.g., school classes, clubs) should contact visitor information in advance. Bookable options: short introduction for 25–50 people at a flat €50 plus admission, children's tour "Kronenglanz und Ritterschlag" (Crown Splendor and Knighthood) at a flat €300 (up to 15 children), business-client tour "Punktlandung" at a flat €290, as well as exclusive tours outside opening hours. |
| Families | –No family ticket listed. |
Summer season 2026 prices for online and terminal tickets; €3 more each at the cash desk. Königlicher Winterzauber from November 20, 2026: €29 / reduced €19 / children aged 4–11 €9 (cash desk €32/€22/€12). Flex ticket without a fixed entry time €55 (18 and over) or €35 (up to 17), online only. Online tickets have a one-hour entry window and cannot be canceled or rebooked. Parking (cars/motorcycles) and shuttle bus included; RVs €5/day, €10 with an overnight stay. Members of the friends' association (€40/year, €20 up to age 23) get free admission; the Schwarzwald Plus Karte is accepted, the AlbCard no longer.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Wheelchair-accessible shuttle bus to the Adlertor (Eagle Gate); from there, an elevator to the Schnarrwacht bastion (then approx. 50 m to the castle courtyard) or approx. 350 m uphill, partly over cobblestones. A staircase with 25 steps leads to the museum rooms, and no assistance staff are provided; the treasury is reachable step-free from the castle courtyard. Accessible restrooms at parking lot P1 and in the castle. Walking aids with rubber tips permitted. Recognized assistance dogs are allowed in the museum rooms; other dogs only on a leash in the outdoor areas.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Time needed | approx. 2.5 hrs |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Stroller-friendly: not available
Children's tour "Kronenglanz und Ritterschlag" (Crown Splendor and Knighthood) and, on selected dates, a nighttime family tour with flashlights for children aged 5 to 12 (approx. 2 hours). Strollers and buggies are not allowed in the museum rooms; the shuttle bus can take strollers. Birthday children receive a small voucher at visitor information.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Train to Hechingen, then HVB bus line 306 (May–October on weekends and public holidays also line 344) to the castle parking lot; from there, shuttle bus to the Adlertor or walk uphill.
By car
Free parking · 25-min walk to the entrance
Two visitor parking lots (P1 upper, P2 lower) for cars, motorcycles, and buses. Parking fees for cars and motorcycles and the shuttle bus to the Adlertor (about every 15 min.) are included in admission; RVs €5 per day, €10 with one night. From the Adlertor it is still about 350 m uphill to the castle courtyard; alternatively, take the elevator to the Schnarrwacht bastion (then approx. 50 m more).
GPS: 72379 Burg Hohenzollern. The website gives varying times for the walk from the parking lot to the Adlertor – 20, 25, or 20–30 minutes; the path is steep and has stairs.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Restaurant
- Museum shop
- Coat check
Castle restaurant (daily 10:00–18:00, kitchen 11:30–17:30; also cakes and tortes) and castle beer garden with around 180 seats in the summer season – both within the ticketed area; the house beer, Preußens Pilsener, is served. Castle shop and parking lot shop at P1. Backpacks can be left at visitor information.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Private parties
- Corporate events
- Weddings / ceremonies
Evening church weddings from May to October from 18:00 in the Catholic or Protestant castle chapel (the latter currently closed for restoration), civil weddings on two dates per year through the municipality of Bisingen as well as during Advent at the Winterzauber. Celebrations and conferences in the castle restaurant by arrangement, also after opening hours (Berliner Zimmer up to 70 people, plus the Fridericus-Zimmer for 30, Jagdzimmer up to 10).
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (DE, EN, FR, IT, ES, NL, RO, ZH, JA) |
| Photography | Photography and filming for private purposes permitted on the grounds and in the museum rooms (without flash or tripod), but not in the treasury; drones prohibited throughout the castle area |
