Castle Ruins of Hohenbaden

The beginnings of Hohenbaden Castle lie in the early 12th century. The Dukes of Zähringen, who originally came from the central Neckar River area around Backnang, acquired many territories in the 11th century through conquests, a marriage policy and politics.  As a result, Hermann I (1052-1074), the oldest son of the Zähringer Berthold I (1024-1078), acquired possessions in the northern Black Forest and a castle on the "Batterfelsen" north of what is today Baden-Baden through his wife Judith from the Calw dynasty of counts.  He then had this castle expanded to the family castle of Hohenbaden.  His son Hermann II (1074-1130), Count of the Breisgau region, at first called himself "Margrave of Limburg" then, for the first time beginning in 1112, "Margrave of Baden" after the new center in Baden.  The descendants of his line ruled as Margraves until 1806 and then as Grand Dukes of Baden.

The castle initially consisted of an upper castle locate on a high rock. It in turn consisted mainly of a residence (Herman Building/Hermannsbau) and a keep. The keep had a virtually square ground plan and was built of masonry made of small ashlars.  It is conspicuous due to its irregular, tapered, molding-like shoulders. A high wall with battlements was erected to protect the Upper Castle (Oberburg). To the southeast of the keep the wall was extended as a rampart toward the northeast. In the west an enclosure is located before the castle.

Under Margrave Hermann VI or his son Rudolf I (1243-1288) a residential building was added to the castle.  The walls were reinforced and raised, and the existing complex was surrounded with additional walls and an additional enclosure.

Bernhard I (1372-1431) had the rock south of the old main castle demolished and leveled.  The Lower Castle (Unterburg) was then built on the resulting artificial plateau around 1400. Its most dominant structure is the late Gothic Bernhard Building (Bernhardsbau), an expansive Residence (Palas).  This Residence shows the lordly claim of the Margrave. It was provided with a large Hall of Knights (Rittersaal) and other representative rooms. Finely crafted door jambs, an adorned column capital, fireplaces, a tower with a staircase and two toilet shafts are evidence of a high level of living comfort.  A mighty cellar is located below the Bernhard Building and in the west lie adjoining residential buildings. Additional walls and an enclosure complex were erected to protect the Lower Castle.

The final phase of construction took place during the reign of Jakob I (1431-1453).  In the eastern area he had the Jakob Building (Jakobsbau), named after him, erected between the Bernhard and the Hermann Building.  This measure resulted in a contiguous castle complex.

However, his successor Christoph I (1453-1527) moved the residence into the New Palace (Neues Schloss) in the town of Baden-Baden in 1479. He left the Old Palace (Altes Schloss) to his mother as a window's seat. In the further course of time the castle repeatedly served as a widow's seat until 1599, when the complex was destroyed by a fire. The renovation of the ruins did not begin until 1832 under Grand Duke Leopold.

Today visitors to the Hohenbaden castle ruins can view the well preserved Bernhard and Jakob Buildings and the Upper Castle with the remains of the Hermann Building, the rampart and the keep.