It was a warm evening in Henchingen, which is a change from northern Europe… Henchingen is a lovely town, full of many small vibrant shops and cafe’s. You can walk from the campsite, but it is a bit of a hike, especially as the town is on top of a hill. There are some car-parks near the centre, but having two wheels, any pavement will do…
Plan A for today was the nearby Hohenzollern Castle. It’s 26eu if you’re book online via the website or 29eu if you rock-up at the ticket office. When you get to the car park it’s a 25 minute walk up a very steep gradient – or you can catch the free shuttle bus, which was especially welcome when you’re wearing motorcycle trousers and boots.
Getting off the shuttle bus you are immediately in awe of the scale and size of the castle. The first castle was built on top of a small conical mountain called the Zollerberg around the 11th century, but was destroyed in 1423 when Friedrich XII of Zollern upset the locals down below. In 1454 how nephew decided to rebuild the castle which surpassed the old castle in size and grandeur, and in the early 1600’s the castle was reinforced with new bastions due to the 30 year war. But by the 1700’s the Hohonzollern family decided to move down into the valley and the castle sadly started to fall into disrepair.
As a lover of classical architecture and myths, in 1890 Crown Prince Frederick William of Prussia ordered the restoration of the castle and the castle has remained in the family hands since then. The castle is wonderful, and furnished with many things from the 1800’s. Queen Victoria was also a frequent visitor as Prince Albert resided there for some time. Was it worth 26 euros..? For me it definitely was, but I think it would be a bit expensive if you had kids, who I’m sure would soon get a bit bored with all the Victorian style interiors. Via their website you can download an app which narrates your guided tour. If you’re going to visit, download the app onto your phone when you’re at the car park as there is free WiFi. Up top, the 4g is a bit sketchy…
After the castle I rode 25km north to Tubingen. Home to one of the oldest universities in Germany, it still has many of its original and traditional buildings, intertwined with narrow winding cobbled streets. I got there about 3pm and by then it was around 26 degrees and to be honest, I didn’t fancy visiting a museum, so I just wandered around, bought some ice cream, some pastries and just enjoyed the sights, the sounds and the architecture. What a beautiful city, and if you are passing, it’s definitely worth a visit.
Another day of culture. I’m all packed and ready for an early start tomorrow, as I’ve decided to go down to Austria.
