Hohenbaden's Ruined Castle -- First Home of Baden's Margraves |
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The ruins of old Hohenbaden rise majestically from a high hill in Baden-Baden. This rocky outcrop is the steep western tip of the Baffert. Hermann II, the first margraves of Baden, built a castle in the early 12th century as a home and ancestral seat. Thick walls, towers and gates surrounded Hermann's building, clearly and austerely Romanesque, in his medieval fortress designed to defend the dynasty. As centuries past there were several extensions to the castle, and each new Margrave set the stamp of fashion. Until 1479 in the sturdy complex was the seat of the margraves of Baden, but this status was then transferred to their new palace in Baden-Baden. Today the romantic ruin veiled in legend is a meeting place for the many ramblers to stop it to rest, explore and enjoy the unrivaled view across the plains of the Rhine. Home |