Castle number one on the tour was Hohenzollern Castle. We headed into the valley with another guy from his office trying to figure out just where exactly we were heading. And when I say "we" I mean, the town was plugged into the GPS and it was my job to figure it out how to get there after that. Turns out they put the wrong person in charge. Why? Well, when asked if I saw the castle I was busy scanning the horizon, when I apparently should have been looking at the highest point on the mountain. Yep. Totally had the correct girl on navigator duty. Needless to say, we made it. A short bus trip got us up to the snowy covered castle. We were toured around the inside of the castle by a guide. In between sliding our huge slipper feet across the floors we tried to keep moving to avoid letting the chill set in. After a few minutes into it, we determined that she was the off season English tour guide as we played guess the world she is trying to figure out. It was alright though, kept my mind off my nose and ears slowly getting numb. Turns out that castles really are cold and my house just may be fabulous practice after all! So, after the tour here are our take-aways:
- It was originally built 1000 years ago but was rebuilt in current condition in 1800s.
- Wilhelm was imprisoned there after WWII for five years.
- It has a (creepy) dog on a knight's head in its coat of arms.
- 2/3s of the castle currently belongs to a 35 year old who lives in Berlin.
- Emperors don't wear crowns.
- Central heating doesn't exist in the place.
- The royal family has never actually lived in the castle.
- The sapphire in the crown is thought to be the largest one in all of Europe.
- There are two chapels on the grounds because unlike on a military base, Catholics and Protestants apparently can't worship in the same place.
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