Sigmaringen (district)

Sigmaringen is a district (Kreis) in the south of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Neighboring districts are (from north clockwise) Reutlingen, Biberach, Ravensburg, Bodensee, Constance, Tuttlingen, and Zollernalbkreis.

History
The area of the district was owned by several different states historically. Before 1800 it was split between many minor rulers, then it became the border area between the Baden and Württemberg, and embedded in between was the duchy Sigmaringen.

The duchy Sigmaringen became part of Kingdom of Prussia in 1849, at that time it had the Oberamt Sigmaringen and the Oberamt Gammertingen. Both were merged into the Landkreis Sigmaringen in 1925. In 1973 the district was enlarged by adding municipalities from the neighboring districts Saulgau, Stockach, Überlingen and Reutlingen. A roughly equal portion of the districts area came from all the three historic states.

Geography
The district is located in the mountains of the Swabian Alb, Linzgau and Upper Swabia.