Trolle-Ljungby Castle, enclosed by a moat, is one of most magnificent Renaissance buildings in Sweden. In the Middle Ages it was a fortified manor house, owned by Bille family. The current castle was erected in 1629 to the grounds of the previous castle, which had been burnt down in 1525. The west wing was added in 1633 and the east wing in 1787. The stone bridge in the northern side dates from 1806. The current owner of the castle is count Hans-Gabriel Trolle-Wachtmeister with her wife countess Alice Trolle-Wachtmeister, the Swedish Mistress of the Robes.
References:Sigmaringen Castle was first mentioned in the year 1077 in the chronicles of Petershausen monastery. The oldest parts of the castle are concealed beneath the alterations made during the 17th and the 19th centuries. The secret of the earliest settlement built on this defendable rock will never be fully revealed: large-scale excavation work would be necessary, which the extensive land development renders impossible. Judging from the many Roman remains unearthed in the area around Sigmaringen, the 12th century keep known as the 'Roman Tower' could be traced back to a Roman predecessor.
The castle remains that have been preserved (gate, great hall and keep) date back to the Staufer period around 1200. The castle remains were integrated into subsequent buildings. The foundations of the castle buildings are to a large extent identical to the surrounding castle wall.
These remains give us a good idea of how the castle might have looked during the 12th century.