Zollernschloss, Medieval castle in Balingen, Germany

Zollernschloss is a late medieval town castle at the southwest corner of Balingen's old fortifications. Its three parts are the square water tower at the southeast corner, the main building with three masonry storeys and a timber-framed top under a half-hipped roof, and the Reiterhaus. A covered wooden bridge links the tower to the main building.

The castle's foundation walls date to the 13th century, linked to Balingen's founding in 1255; the upper floors were renewed in 1372. In 1403 the castle passed by purchase to Württemberg and became the seat of the Obervogt responsible for Balingen, Ebingen, Tuttlingen and later Rosenfeld. After the Thirty Years' War it was dilapidated; the gable end facing the Eyach was demolished and rebuilt with a simple pointed gable in 1681–1682.

The castle now houses the Museum of Scales and Weights, displaying one of the largest collections of measuring instruments spanning multiple historical periods. Visitors can trace how people developed different tools to measure goods and weight across the centuries.

The castle is accessible to explore, and you can visit old prison cells in the water tower to see medieval life up close. Part of the Reiterhaus section operates as a youth hostel, so certain areas may sometimes have limited access.

The demolition and rebuilding took place in 1934, not 1935, and investigations during the work established that the foundation walls dated from the 13th century, linked to Balingen's town founding of 1255. The same 1934 studies showed the upper floors had been renewed in 1372.