Our trip to Castle Hohenzollern
A report written by Bianca van Laun

Once upon a time 20 South African students found themselves at the foot of a hill which seated a most magnificent castle. They made their way through the enchanting snow-laden forest up a winding road to the Castel of Hohenzollern.
What an amazing experience this was! I really felt as if we were part of a fairytale or a world long forgotten as we walked through the forest to the beautiful castle.
Once we reached the top of the hill we were met by the most breathtaking view of snowy countryside and small German towns far below.
A castle has stood on this spot since the 11th century although the current Hohenzollern castle was built between 1846 and 1867 by King Friedrich Wilhelm IV on the grounds of his ancestral home.
As a history student I was overwhelmed by the beautiful architecture and centuries of history that is the castle of Hohenzollern. I thoroughly enjoyed the very informative and interactive tour as we were taken through the castle and introduced to it´s centuries of royal inhabitants through means of the amazing family tree that surrounds one in the hall where we were received. I was completely in awe of this family tree where one could stand for hours reconstructing the complete lineage up to the present generation.
We were taken through the living spaces of the kings and queens of the past and shown the most beautiful paintings of family members and other art works. We were also shown the Prussian crown as well as other exquisite pieces of jewellery and clothing items and explored the three chapels that belong to the castle.
We watched the sunset stain the sky pink and yellow and then began our descent in the fading light. Torches in hand to light our way we gave the fairytale a South African touch as we sang and danced our way down the hill.

Bianca van Laun