Burg Hohenzollern

[click to enlarge] These are some of the doors of the castle at Hohenzollern. Nedra is especially fond of doors, and this place had such an interesting variety that it deserved its own collage. The green gate (second from left on the top) actually came from the ruins of the Gedankniskirche (a memorial church to the Hohenzollern dynasty, now a ruin called the 'Hollow Tooth') in Berlin and was brought to the Hohenzollern ancestral spot here in 1961.
As usual this summer, it rained and rained on this castle visit, and we were able to dodge the major showers.  Our rain gear was in the bags that our airline had lost.  
As you can see, it is a mind-blowing castle with all of the trappings.  The prince and family still hang out here for family events and such.  Actually, they have sort of a time-share arrangement with the Swabian branch of the family. Since 1860 they have shared the place, and I am sure they have their share of "Oh, yeah.  The Berlin branch is much too good to change the sheets.  And heaven forbid they should clean their old mustard out of the fridge!"   
.  Fluff was not impressed, and spent the whole tour trying to wiggle out of our arms so that he could wreak havoc among the Chotchkis of the Prussian Dynasty.  The tour guide gave him a 2-pound set of large castle keys to keep him distracted.  One of the keys was as long as his forearm.  
All in all, it was a great castle to visit.  Because the monarchy/Kaiser were booted out of Berlin in 1918, they took all of their cool loot with them.  Thus, the crown of the Hohenzollern dynasty is not in some Berlin Museum, but in this castle out in the toolies.  Frederick the Great's famous flutes and snuffboxes?  here as well.  The gown in which the Kaiserin tried to shmooze Napoleon into not attacking Prussia?  Here.  Not that Berlin cares--that has got to be the most iconoclastic and irreverent city around.  But Mr. Louis Ferdinand Prince of Hohenzollern still lives in Berlin, probably in one of those super sleek steel-and glass numbers built on the bombed-out remains of some old Prussian building that his ancestors built.  

Regardless--Louie Ferdie: we like your old castle in the southwest.  Invite us to your next whing-ding, and we will bring the potato salad.  

Comments

Anonymous said…
I love the ceiling in the chapel. And thank you for the doors!
3:46 PM
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