The Principality of Liechtenstein is nestled in the Alps between the older sisters - Switzerland and Austria. Mountains are everywhere here, as well as a cozy green valley of the Rhine River, ancient castles, medieval streets and the famous ski resort of Malbune. Its tracks are quite suitable for both completely green beginners and those who consider themselves a real guru of winter sports. When flying, explore the Principality's list of attractions. You will be pleasantly surprised to learn that in Liechtenstein you can see not only the mountains, although it is they who rule the show in this small country.
Top 15 attractions in Liechtenstein
Three sisters
The natural border between the capital of the principality and Austria are the rocks, which Liechtensteiners call the Three Sisters.
At the top of one of the rocks, there are the ruins of a castle built in the 9th century, while the other was a place for a medieval princely residence, alas, which has survived to this day only in the form of ruins.
The Three Sisters are attractive to hikers for their hiking trails for trekkers in the fresh air. There are also challenging climbing routes on their slopes, allowing you to look at Liechtenstein from a bird's eye view.
Vaduz castle
The first stone in the construction of the current residence of the princely family was laid in the early Middle Ages. Since then, the castle has been restored more than once, and the main reconstruction work took place in the 16th-17th centuries.
On the territory of the castle, the chapel built in honor of St. Anne is worthy of attention, but tourists are allowed to see her Gothic altar and just wander among the medieval walls only once a year. On August 15, the day of the formation of the state, the prince's family organizes an open day at their residence. The rest of the time, travelers are content with an external examination and photo sessions against the background of ancient walls.
Stadtle street
The picturesque old street in the center of Vaduz is especially popular with tourists. She surprisingly accurately conveys the atmosphere of a small town in the heart of Europe. For those who do not miss a single attraction, the center of the capital of Liechtenstein will be interested in:
- Postal Museum.
- English house with a collection of paintings. The paintings were collected by the princely family for many years.
- National Museum, the exhibition of which is made up of items of clothing, antique furniture, medieval weapons and Celtic jewelry.
- Mansion of the city assembly, decorated with bas-reliefs and sculptures.
Stadtl has cafes and souvenir shops, and numerous sculptures by contemporary authors give it a special charm.
Cathedral
The main temple of Liechtenstein was built on the site of an older one and its ancient foundation was used during the construction. The cathedral is dedicated to the saint, whose miraculous deeds were done for the benefit of ordinary people. St. Florin is considered the patron saint of winemakers in Liechtenstein, and it is quite logical that the wine-making principality dedicated its main church to him.
The architectural style of the Vaduz Cathedral is neo-Gothic. The temple fits perfectly into the surrounding space and looks picturesque against the background of mountain peaks. The high tower of the cathedral with lancet windows is the main architectural landmark of Vaduz.
Gutenberg castle
In the southern part of the principality, next to the Swiss border, on a high hill rises the seemingly inaccessible ancient castle of Gutenberg. It was built over many years, and the first mention of the fortress is contained in documents dating back to the middle of the 13th century.
For 500 years, starting in the 14th century, the castle belonged to the Austrian royal dynasty of the Habsburgs. The stronghold has suffered from fires more than once, and owes its modern appearance and condition to the sculptor from Vaduz, who bought the castle at the beginning of the last century.
Today, Gutenberg Castle belongs to the princely dynasty and on ordinary days, visitors are only allowed into the lower courtyard.
Church of St. Nicholas
To the east of Gutenberg Castle are the ruins of an old church, the design and construction of which was the work of the Viennese engineer and architect Gustav von Neumann. The temple was a one-nave basilica made in the neo-Romanesque style. The Church of St. Nicholas had vaulted ceilings and a semicircular apse, but has survived only in the form of ruins. Only the towers of the temple and part of the stone walls have survived.
How to get there: by bus N12 from Vaduz.
Liechtenstein Art Museum
In the collection of the capital's museum you can look at works of modern art and paintings and sculptures of the 19th and 20th centuries. The exhibits are of particular interest to installation aficionados. An important acquisition of the Liechtenstein Museum is the collection of works by the collector Rolf Riecke from Cologne. Visitors to the museum in Vaduz can see the works of Donald Judd, considered one of the outstanding representatives of minimalism, and Jessica Stockholder, now called the most popular sculptor and installation artist in the USA and Europe.
Ticket price: 13 euros.
Vaduz Town Hall
The city council of the capital of the principality sits in the Town Hall, first opened in 1933. Its building is stylized as a medieval building. The roof of the Town Hall is gable, on the east wall there is the coat of arms of Liechtenstein carved out of stone, and on the south-east wall you can see a fresco depicting St. Urban.
The interiors of the city council building are decorated with portraits of the great dukes who ruled Liechtenstein from the Middle Ages to the present day. The canvases are by the local artist J. Seger.
Three horses
The sculptural group in the square in front of the Vaduz Town Hall was made by the Swiss sculptor Nag Arnoldi. Bronze figures of beautiful animals froze in bizarre poses, and the paintings of Pablo Picasso inspired their author. The influence of the creativity of the founder of Cubism is clearly visible in the outlines of the horses, which are not too similar to the real ones.
Arnoldi's work adorns the capital of Liechtenstein and is popular with tourists visiting the principality.
Principality National Museum
The idea of creating a museum, where you can learn the history of the principality and admire the works of art, first came to Prince Johann II in 1953. Today, the collection of the National Museum contains hundreds of interesting exhibits - from medieval weapons, carpets and ceramics to paintings by artists belonging to the Flemish school of painting.
Of great interest are old books, some of which are handwritten, ancient coins, the first stamps of Liechtenstein, works of local artisans and documentary evidence of all the most important events that took place in the principality.
The museum owns two old mansions and a modern building.
Postal Museum
The unusual exposition, housed in the English House in the capital of the principality, attracts many visitors. If you have ever collected stamps, do not miss the opportunity to get acquainted with the history of Liechtenstein postal and look at all the postage stamps ever issued in the country.
The museum was founded almost a hundred years ago - in 1930. The reason for its creation was the desire of the princely dynasty to preserve all documentary evidence of the organization and development of Liechtenstein's mail.
In addition to stamps, the collection contains the machines on which they were printed, unique old photos and sketches of those stamps that never saw the light of day.
Red house
The name of this landmark of Liechtenstein makes it easy to find it in the capital of the principality. The red stone house was built in the Middle Ages by wine-making monks from the Order of St. John. The building consists of a main part, a small annex and a tower and is located on a hill, and therefore is perfectly visible from many points of Vaduz.
At the beginning of the 20th century, a representative of the Rheinberger family, who bought the house in the 16th century, significantly changed the appearance of the house and restored it. Egon Reinberger was not only an architect, but also a sculptor and painter, and therefore the appearance of the Red House received new features and became a real decoration of Vaduz.
How to get there: by buses NN 11, 12, 13 and 14 from the Shan Vaduz railway station.
Rheinberger House
Another historic building in Liechtenstein, associated with the Rheinberger family, was used in the 16th century as the prince's chancellery and archive. Then it became the property of an ancient family, and in 1839, the composer Joseph Gabriel von Rheinberger was born in a two-story white stone mansion.
In the 60s of the last century, the Liechtenstein School of Music was opened in the house, and a bust of the composer was installed in front of its facade in memory of the famous compatriot. To the left of the monument is a stone lyre, and to the right is a memorial plaque in honor of the musician.
Church of St. Lawrence
From the oldest temple in the town of Shang, only the bell tower has survived, but the ruins dating from the beginning of the XII century look very picturesque against the background of mountain peaks. The Church of St. Lawrence was built in the pre-Romanesque era and the first mention of it is found in documents from the end of the 13th century.
The city of Shan itself belongs to the list of attractions in Liechtenstein. Here you can look at the classical architecture inherent in the Alpine cities, and take part in one of the carnivals and festivals, of which a great many take place in Shan.
Reclining woman
The sculpture of a woman who lies down to rest at the entrance to the Vaduz Art Museum invariably attracts the attention of tourists. It was donated to the city by a sculptor from Colombia, known among colleagues for his figurative art.
A large lady with magnificent forms is cast from bronze and, according to the author, symbolizes the dormant soul of our world. The three-meter sculpture demonstrates sensuality and feminine beauty.
