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Hohenklingen Castle today

Switzerland · Still standing

Hohenklingen Castle

Hohenklingen Castle is a medieval hilltop castle above Stein am Rhein in the Canton of Schaffhausen, Switzerland. It retains a silhouette that corresponds to its medieval appearance between 1200 and 1422 and is a Swiss heritage site of national significance.

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Photograph via Wikimedia Commons

First raised

1225

Its prime

1422

Today

Still standing

As it stood in 1422

What Hohenklingen Castle looked like in its prime.

Compact hilltop castle formed by a long, pale-plastered curtain wall punctuated by narrow rectangular openings and small windows, anchored by a tall square bergfried with a steep pyramidal red‑brown tiled roof. To the left stands a shorter square tower flying a yellow banner; connecting ranges of low, steeply pitched tiled roofs link volumes. A projecting covered wooden gallery sits on the outer wall. The whole complex crowns a densely wooded slope above the river and town; at its prime the walls and roofs were complete.

Its story

The story of Hohenklingen Castle.

Hohenklingen stands above Stein am Rhein in the Canton of Schaffhausen, at the point where the High Rhine flows out of Lake Constance, the last town before the German border, and unusually Swiss on both banks of the river. It was the first toll castle on the Rhine, about five miles from the Rhine Falls.

The castle has been spared war damage across its history, and its silhouette of walls and roofs still corresponds to its medieval appearance of the years 1200 to 1422. It is listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significance.

Step inside

6 places to explore in 1422.

The record describes 6 distinct spots at Hohenklingen Castle, including the full exterior approach. Create your own photoreal reconstruction and explore every one, more scenes means more rooms, more angles, and more of the place to stand in.

Approach from the river/Stein am Rhein belowWest square tower with bannerBergfried (main keep) and rooflineCurtain wall with projecting wooden galleryCluster of low roofs and service buildingsVantage on the wooded slope below the castle

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Questions about Hohenklingen Castle

What is the history of Hohenklingen Castle?

Hohenklingen Castle began as a fortified residence around 1200, built by Walter von Klingen, the monastery’s custodian. It became the first toll castle on the Rhine and was later divided between branches of the von Hohenklingen family. The citizens of Stein am Rhein bought it in 1457; it later served as part of Zurich’s warning-post chain and as a military observation post during the Second World War.

What is inside Hohenklingen Castle?

Inside Hohenklingen Castle are the palas, a chapel, a knights’ hall and spaces adapted for a restaurant. The chapel contains remains of an altar, while the knights’ hall has modern depictions of the coats of arms of the lords of Hallwyl, Toggenburg, Brandis, Fürstenberg and Austria. The bergfried is now used as an observation tower.

Why was Hohenklingen Castle built, and what was it used for?

Hohenklingen Castle was built as a fortified residence and toll castle controlling movement along the Rhine. It was the first toll castle on the river. Later, its role changed: it became part of Zurich’s chain of warning posts, housed a guard and arrest cell, and served military purposes during the Swabian War, the Thirty Years’ War and the Second World War.

Where is Hohenklingen Castle?

Hohenklingen Castle stands above Stein am Rhein in the Canton of Schaffhausen, on a wooded hill overlooking the town. It is near the point where the High Rhine flows out of Lake Constance, and is about five miles from the Rhine Falls. Stein am Rhein lies at the Swiss-German border, with both riverbanks Swiss within the town.

When was Hohenklingen Castle built?

Hohenklingen Castle was first raised in the 13th century. The site record gives 1225, while the architectural history dates the first residence tower and early defensive works to around 1200 and the ring wall and western palas to around 1220. The castle was enlarged in several later phases, including major work between 1250 and 1280 and in 1423.

What did Hohenklingen Castle look like in its prime?

At its prime, Hohenklingen Castle had a compact hilltop silhouette formed by a long, pale-plastered curtain wall, narrow rectangular openings and small windows. A tall square bergfried carried a steep pyramidal red-brown tiled roof, while a shorter square tower, low roofed ranges and a projecting covered wooden gallery completed the complex. The walls and roofs were intact.

Is Hohenklingen Castle still standing, or is it a ruin?

Hohenklingen Castle is still standing and intact rather than a ruin. It has been spared war damage throughout its history, and its walls and roofs still correspond to its medieval appearance between 1200 and 1422. The castle underwent comprehensive renovations from 1895 to 1897 and again from 2005 to 2007.

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