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Liechtenstein is a small specific principality, whose name comes from the surname of the ruling dynasty in the country. Nevertheless, high mountains, ancient castles and Catholic cathedrals coexist peacefully on its territory.
Who and why should come here
Despite the absence of large cities and any large cities, there are many historical monuments in Liechtenstein — after all, the history of this small state began in the days of the Holy Roman Empire. It is not surprising that on its territory ancient castles coexist with Gothic churches and modern museums.
Liechtenstein is a great place for fans of skiing, cyclists, climbers and just outdoor enthusiasts. Skiers and snowboarders can ski down the slopes of the Retikon Ridge, the Falkniss and Rauschpitz Mountains, and the Malbrun ski resort.
Another reason to visit Liechtenstein is the local wines. Even the head of state does not disdain the production of wine products — he has his own winery in Vaduz.
Architectural monuments
Vaduz castle
The residence of the ruling dynasty von Liechtenstein belongs to the buildings of the XII century, but the monarchs chose the fortress only in the XIX century. Its location is a hill in the upper reaches of the Rhine, so that the castle rises above the city and is visible from any point in it. Vaduz is open to the public only once a year — on August 15, the day of the formation of the state.
Montebello Castle
was built in 1313 in honor of the victory of one noble Ruska family over another — the Visconti. Since then, the castle passed from one aristocrat to another. Now little is left of it from those times, except perhaps a chapel of the 15th century. Something was destroyed by itself, something was demolished by the next owners of the castle.
Castle of Castelgrande
Of all the buildings of the capital, this castle is almost the oldest. It was built back in the days of the Roman Empire, in the 1st century BC. Naturally, it was rebuilt all the time, so there are few old buildings left — for example, the White Tower of the 13th century and the arsenal of the 19th century.
Gutenberg
In the castle of Balser, tourists can only see the lower courtyard of the fortress. And it will be possible to get into the internal premises only during the events. Gutenberg was built in 1263. The castle changed hands for a long time, although for 500 years it was inhabited by representatives of the Habsburg dynasty. Then it fell into private ownership, and it was the last owner who restored the fortress.
Government House
The neo-baroque building is the hallmark of Liechtenstein. Despite its relative youth (the Government House was built at the beginning of the 20th century), it is not inferior in beauty and grandeur to the more ancient sights of the capital. The building looks very bright and even festive, and its facade is decorated with a fresco depicting the coat of arms of the principality.
City Hall of Vaduz
This town hall was built a little later — in 1932. It is noteworthy that much more money was spent on its construction than originally planned. To cover the debts, the government had to rent part of the building for 50 years.
The town hall is decorated with the emblem of the commune of the principality and frescoes. The most interesting of them is a fresco depicting the god of winemaking Urban in the form of the Pope. Inside are portraits of all the princes of the dynasty. Near the town hall there is a sculptural group of the Swiss sculptor Naga Arnoldi — three horses made in the traditions of cubism, that is, not very similar to real animals.
red house
This house is visible from anywhere in the capital of Liechtenstein, and it was called red because of the facade, lined with bright red bricks. In the 19th century, the monastery of St. John. A tower was attached to it for a millstone that crushed grapes — the monk brothers were engaged in winemaking.
Now the house is privately owned, and one of the previous owners of the House — Egon Reinberger, sculptor and architect — had a hand in its restructuring. By the way, wine is still made here.
Reinberger House
Another house that is related to the same noble Reinberger family, only to its other worthy representative — the composer Josef Gabriel von Reinberger. In this house in 1839 the musician was born and raised. Now the building houses the School of Music, and there is a bust of the composer in front of it.
Bridge over the Rhine
The wooden bridge-tunnel is actually not an exclusively local attraction. One half of it belongs to Liechtenstein, and the other half belongs to Austria. It was once the only bridge in the country that could cross the Rhine.
Cultural attractions and museums
Liechtenstein State Museum
At first, the museum was located in one of the castles of the principality, but then it began to move from place to place, until it remained permanently in the former tavern.
The museum exhibits utensils from the Church of St. Lawrence in the city of Shan, as well as knightly armor, weapons, a collection of coins, jewelry, handicrafts, old books, the very first stamps and miraculously preserved medieval carpets. In addition, the museum has expositions dedicated to archaeological finds in the country, as well as its natural resources.
Liechtenstein Postal Museum
The branch of the State Museum, located in the English House in the capital, was specially created to preserve the unique collection of postage stamps issued by the principality’s mail. The department made stamps on various topics, but all of them were united by high quality and limited circulation. In addition to stamps, the exposition includes printing presses, sketches of unissued signs and old photographs.
Museum of Art
It is also called the “black box” for its unusual shape. The cubic building made of tinted basalt and concrete houses paintings and sculptures from the 19th century, as well as canvases by modern masters. The museum also exhibits the private collection of Prince Liechtenstein.
At the entrance to the building is a three-meter statue of a reclining woman made of bronze — this is the work of the Colombian sculptor Fernando Bottera. It symbolizes the dormant soul of the world.
Triesen Cultural Center (Kulturzentrum Gasometer)
It is located in the building of an old weaving cotton factory built in 1863. By the way, this is one of the few local monuments of the era of industrialization. Gasometer is a perfectly preserved gas tank that supplied the plant with gas for 120 years. This unusual center has an exposition of old looms and an equally ancient blacksmith’s workshop. The building periodically hosts art exhibitions and various cultural events.
Walsermuseum in Triesenberg
The Triesenberg Local History Museum grew out of a small collection of exhibits that a local pastor began to collect in 1943. At first, the museum was located in a house built in 1601 called Walserhaus, and later moved to a new multi-storey building. The museum presents reconstructions of peasant life: dishes, personal belongings, agricultural tools. One of the floors is occupied by an exhibition of works made of wood by the hand of the sculptor Rudolf Wredler.
Sasso Corbaro
The castle stands high on a cliff and was previously the site of the Vaduz city prison. The internal buildings were not preserved — they were destroyed by fires. Now it mainly hosts music festivals and re-enactments of medieval events.
Natural attractions and parks
Mountain “Three Sisters” (Dry Shwestern)
Of the three separate peaks, the highest reaches 2053 m. The ruins of old castles have been preserved on the tops of the mountains. You can get there on foot — special hiking trails have been developed for this. There are also more difficult and interesting routes for climbers.
Echsnerberg trail
The 15-kilometer route from Schellenberg to Bendern will allow you to get acquainted with the most beautiful views and landscapes of Liechtenstein: mountain peaks, valleys with neat mountain villages immersed in greenery and dense forests.
Malbrun Ski Resort
This resort is located at the foot of the mountains Nospits and Zeyreroch. It is designed for skiers and snowboarders of all skill levels. There are trails for beginners and professionals, as well as a freestyle park.
Private winery of the Prince of Liechtenstein
Quite an interesting place not only for wine lovers. The fact is that vast vineyards are spread here, in which visitors are allowed to walk, enjoying the views of the nearby mountains and towering castles. In the winery itself, you can taste and buy local wines from the reserves of the prince himself — by the way, they are not exported, so these varieties cannot be found anywhere else.
religious objects
Church of Saint Joseph
The church in Triesenberg has stood on a hill since the 18th century. The building is made of simple gray stone, and its roofs are made of wood. It is noteworthy that on the tower of the cathedral there is quite an Orthodox “onion”. The interior of the temple is also quite simple — wooden beams on the vault, a wooden crucifix, but bright stained-glass windows and a real organ give a special charm to this unpresentable church.
Church of Saint Lawrence
A very ancient building in the city of Shan (Eshen), which dates back to 1100. True, since then only the bell tower has remained from it — the rest of the building has turned into ruins. However, several sculptures were saved and transferred to the museum.
St. Florin’s Cathedral
The Cathedral in Vaduz was built in 1868. The saint, after whom the temple was named, became famous for turning water into wine, following the example of Jesus Christ. True, this righteous man has never been to Vaduz. Interesting features of the architecture of the cathedral are a stone staircase and two sculptures of the Virgin Mary.
Cathedral of Santi Pietro i Stefano
Also located in Vaduz. This is a dilapidated Gothic cathedral rebuilt in the 15th century — inside it you can still see Gothic frames with stucco from the old church, as well as 18th-century murals made by invited Italian painters.
Church of St. Fridolin
The temple in Rugell was built in honor of the saint of the same name, who in the 5th century brought the light of the Christian faith to the pagans of these places. The date of construction is 1617. The church was quite standard for those times: one nave, an altar and a tower. But at the end of the 19th century, it was rebuilt according to the design of the Austrian architect Gustav von Neumann.
Church of St. Gallus
This Church was built in Triesen in 1455, but in 1994 the old building had to be demolished due to an emergency condition and restored anew. From the old temple there were sculptures of Erasmus Kern and a font made of black marble — they can still be seen inside the church.
Chapel of St. Mamerta
The oldest chapel in the country is also located in Triesen. According to various sources, it was built in the 9th or early 10th century. And the tower at the church appeared only in 1448, when the restoration and rebuilding of the chapel began. But of particular interest are the interior frescoes and the late Gothic triptych.
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