Station: [24] The Prince's Living Room and Bedroom

You are now standing in the Prince of Hohenzollern’s apartment.

This apartment actually consisted of only two rooms. This made it the smallest of the four stately apartments. The two rooms were intended to serve as a living room and a bedroom. They are connected by a floor-to-ceiling partition with a narrow passageway.

As in the previous bedrooms, there was no bed here either. Behind two of the three doors are a toilet and a small washroom, which are still in use today. The third door connects the prince’s bedroom directly to the watchtower.

The red-painted walls are decorated with stencil work and the initials “CA.” These refer to Prince Karl Anton von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. He was a co-builder of Hohenzollern Castle and the first occupant of this princely apartment. You can see his bust, sculpted by August Wittig, on the dresser to the right in the bedroom.

His eldest son and successor, Prince Leopold, also used these rooms frequently. His bust stands on the left side of the desk top. Father and son would retreat here to work in peace. This explains the furnishings. The living room was furnished with various writing desks, cabinets, and special storage spaces for documents. It therefore resembled a study more than a traditional living room.

From here, the perspective extends far beyond personal use. In the second half of the 19th century, the princely house succeeded in securing the Romanian throne. First, the prince’s brother, and later his son, ascended the throne.

Prince Leopold himself had been earmarked as a candidate for the Spanish throne. But that never came to pass. He ultimately fell victim to Bismarck’s power politics, which culminated in the war between Prussia-Germany and France.

The original wall decorations also served a clear purpose. Portraits and reliefs of politically significant family members once hung here. They were intended to highlight the dynastic connections and the European significance of the princely line of the House of Hohenzollern. Today, these works are housed at Sigmaringen Castle.

Thus, at first glance, this small apartment appears almost modest. Yet it is precisely in its compactness that it speaks to the work, seclusion, and far-reaching aspirations of a European princely family.