My Visual Travel Experience: Liechtenstein

In the summer of 2018, my wife Reshmi, my 3 year old son Rehaan, and I visited Switzerland for about 2 weeks. I was keen on visiting Liechtenstein next door, as I was intrigued by this tiny nation, and had heard that it was a beautiful place. So we added it into our itinerary and spent 2 days there. It was a decision we didn't regret at all, because Liechtenstein certainly lived up to what I had heard.

Liechtenstein has a population of about 37,000 and an area of just 160 sq km, making it one of the smallest countries in the world. It is a mountainous country sandwiched between Switzerland and Austria. It has a very high standard of living, and one of the highest per capita incomes of the world, at over US$ 140,000 per annum. German is the country’s national language, and the Swiss Franc is the prevailing currency. The country is divided into 11 municipalities, and Vaduz is the capital.

Peeping into the nation's history, in the 17th century AD, Karl I was made the Price of Liechtenstein by the Holy Roman Emperor Matthias. In 1718, Charles VI, the Holy Roman Emperor, united Vaduz and Schellenberg, and formed the principality of Liechtenstein. From 1815 to 1866, Liechtenstein was a part of the German Confederation, which was presided over by the Emperor of Austria. Liechtenstein was closely tied with Austria until the end of World War I. Subsequently, it had a monetary union with Switzerland. The reigning prince is the Head of State of Liechtenstein. There have been 16 monarchs since Karl I’s reign commenced in 1608. The current prince, Hans Adam II, became the monarch in 1989.

Vaduz, the capital of Liechtenstein, is a town having a population of around 5,000. It is not the country’s largest town – that would be Schaan, which has around 6,000 residents. Vaduz is popular with tourists, and has several interesting sights.

Vaduz Castle is the official residence of the Prince of Liechtenstein. The castle was originally built in the 12th century but underwent many additions and renovations. The Princely Family of Liechtenstein acquired the castle in 1712. The castle isn’t open to visitors, but one can walk up and have a look at the castle from outside. The hill where the castle lies also has a good view of the valley below. It took us half an hour to walk up the hill and get to the castle. We were puffing and panting a little, but little Rehaan was running along without any trouble!

Vaduz Castle

Vaduz Cathedral, also called the Cathedral of St Florin, is a neo Gothic church. It was built in 1874. Several members of the country’s royal family have been buried in the church, including the current monarch's father, Prince Franz Josef II, and his wife Princess Georgina.  The church was designated as a cathedral in 1997.

Vaduz Cathedral

Interior of Vaduz Cathedral

Mary with Christ, Vaduz Cathedral

Stadtle is the town’s main pedestrian street. The street is lined with shops, restaurants, cafes, ice cream parlours, several of the town’s major government institutions (the Government Building, the Parliament and the Rathaus or Town Hall), museums (the Landesmuseum, the Kunstmuseum, and the Postmuseum) and outdoor sculptures. 

Government Building

Parliament

Rathaus, or Town Hall

The Landesmuseum is a museum with exhibits showcasing Liechtenstein’s history and culture. It also has archeological finds, paintings, portraits of the royal family and religious works of art. The Schatzkammer, or Treasury, is a part of the Landesmuseum, and it has many invaluable objects like Faberge Eggs, a replica of the prince’s crown, and ornamental weapons.  

Landesmuseum

Christ on the Ass, Landesmuseum

Painting of Gutenberg Castle, Landesmuseum

Wooden Virgin and Child, Landesmuseum

Cloth Bible, Landesmuseum

The impressive Rotes Haus is set in the midst of vineyards, in the Mitteldorf area of the town.

Rotes Haus

Vineyards at Mitteldorf

A charming trolley bus takes visitors on a half hour bus ride through the town centre. This was a major highlight for my son.

Trolley Bus

Triesenberg is a municipality in Liechtenstein with a population of around 2,500. It lies up on the mountains, and one has great views of Liechtenstein’s Rhine Valley from the top. Triesenberg has a pretty church, the Pfarrkirche, that is worth a visit.

Pfarrkirche

Interior of Pfarrkirche

Graves outside Pfarrkirche

Rathaus

View of the Rhine Valley from Triesenberg

We stayed at a place called Appartment Fernsicht Triesenberg, up in the hills. The 2 bedroom apartment was very nicely furnished and had a well equipped kitchen. The view from the apartment was quite marvelous, and the apartment was well connected from the centre of Vaduz by a direct bus.

All in all, we had a really nice stay in Liechtenstein. It's not on the tourist map for a lot of visitors, but travelers to Switzerland or Austria should certainly take out a couple of days to enjoy this hidden gem in the Alps!