Hechingen is a historic city whose history was connected with the Hohenzollern dynasty since the Middle Ages. It was their family seat, and the magnificent Hohenzollern Castle can still be seen in the area today.
The area was already inhabited in Roman times, and in the neighboring town of Stein there is an archaeological open-air museum showing the reconstruction of a Roman settlement. The actual history of Hechingen begins in 1255, although the lands had belonged to the Hohenzollern almost a century earlier. However, in the mid-thirteenth century, it became necessary to build a new capital and thus the city of Hechingen was established.
Hohenzollern Castle has been located on the hill above the town since the Middle Ages. It is now located within the city limits of Zimmern, but is visible from Hechingen. The present-day appearance of the fortress is the result of a 19th-century romantic reconstruction, which made it look like a fairy-tale castle.
The city has preserved the historic urban layout with many tenement houses and palaces from different eras. There is also a historic church of St. James, the picturesque market square and the Hohenzollern State Museum showing the role of this dynasty in the history of Germany and relics from its history. Another interesting attraction in Hechingen is the Oldtimer Zollernalb Museum displaying old cars, motorbikes and other vehicles.
