Station: [27] Catholic St. Michael's Chapel

St. Michael’s Chapel is one of the oldest surviving parts of the castle. As you look around here, you are standing in the nave and choir of a chapel that was consecrated in 1461. These areas are remnants of the second medieval complex. They were later incorporated into the present-day Neo-Gothic structure.

Your gaze is immediately drawn upward and to the side. The tall leaded-glass windows of the late-Gothic church predate this room; they were created as early as the late 13th century. Originally, they were located in the monastery church in Stetten near Hechingen. This church served as the first burial place of the House of Hohenzollern. It was not until the 19th century that the windows found their way to Hohenzollern Castle.

The stained-glass windows are among the most significant examples of Gothic glass art in southwestern Germany. Take a closer look at the window on the left in front of the choir. It hides a small but special detail. In the lower right corner, you can see the oldest known depiction of the Hohenzollern coat of arms. It’s a small detail, but one of great significance.

The side walls of the choir also tell the story of this place’s long history. Embedded there are three sandstone reliefs. They were found in the rubble during renovation work in 1823. They depict the Archangel Michael slaying a dragon, the Adoration of the Magi, and the Apostle Peter and the Evangelist John. These reliefs are particularly significant from an art-historical perspective. Their style belongs to the late Romanesque period of the 12th century. They likely originated from the chapel of the original castle complex. Thus, you encounter several historical periods within a small space here.

The vestibule, on the other hand, is more recent. It is a 19th-century addition. There stands a late-Gothic sculpture carved from linden wood, depicting Saint George battling the dragon. The figure comes from the County of Rhäzüns in Switzerland, which was related by marriage to the House of Hohenzollern. Here, too, history is composed not only of stones, but also of relationships and memories.

If you now turn toward the entrance, you will find a plaque on the right listing the names of the men who survived the siege of the castle in 1423. Next to it, a marble plaque commemorates Queen Stephanie of Portugal of the House of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, who died young, as well as her brother Anton, who was mortally wounded in the Battle of Königgrätz.

This chapel preserves many layers of the past. It is precisely in this that its quiet, impressive power lies.