Waldburg Castle is situated almost in the middle between Ravensburg and Wangen, within the marvellous region of Oberschwaben.
On a steep, conical hill, the highest point of Oberschwaben (772 m above sea-level) the Waldburg rises. It was the ancestral castle of the lineage of the imperial duke of the same name. From 1221 through 1240 the imperial regalia were kept here.
In case of favorable weather, you can experience an unforgettable and sensational panorama of, for example the foothills of the Alps in Oberschwaben, the Alps of the Allgäu or the Bernese Oberland.
George III (1488 1531), who during the Peasant War made a great name for himself as Bauernjörg certainly was aware of his wonderful home-land. The fully remained gotic castle still is surrounded completely by the circular wall. In the high eastern wing there is the chapel with the gallery, in the five-storey living tower, which probably was built in the 14th century, you may among others visit a beautifully panelled knights hall. But its not only the chapel and the knights hall which are worth-seeing
.. the residential building houses a wide-ranged museum referring to this castle within three storeys.
After the lineage of Waldburg, who were highly respected in the times of Friedrich II, emperor of the Staufer, received at about 1100 an feoff, they built at that place the Waldburg in the middle of the 12th century, which became the naming ancestral seat of this lineage. As there was only limited space on the hill top, the castle complex consisting of circular wall, great hall, working quarters und chapel tower was built into the height.
Formerly, the entrance gate at the eastern side probably was protected by a drawbridge. The chapel tower and the great hall are dated from the first half of the 13th century. Nevertheless, to this time the chapel tower was only half as high as today and served as a gate tower.
With the new construction of the great hall the main entrance was moved to its todays place. About the year 1323, to the times of Truchsess Johannes I, the chapel tower became more storeys and the original chapel was equipped. By Johannes II the chapel was built to its todays height.
About 1550, Truchsess Georg OV (1523 1562) gained possession of the castle which had remained intact during the Peasant War; he then had the inner great hall altered to what she looks like today. The working quarters also are dated of the 16th century. The extension of the chapel and its modification to a baroque-like style took place about 1728 and is regarded to be the last great construction measure. This had been ordered by the Truchsess Ferdinand Ludwig. By the end of the 19th century Prince Franz and his wife Sophie had the shrine, dated back to the late Middle Ages added to the chapel.
The museum located in the great hall presents the history of this castle in an very impressive way on three floors. The sightseeing of the castle comes to an end on the observation platform. This was constructed during the land survey of the Kingdom of Württemberg when the Waldburg was used as an trigonometrical point.