The Principality Liechtensteinis a sovereign dwarf state in the Alpine region. The country lies between Austria and Switzerland on the eastern bank of the Alpine Rhine. Liechtenstein is divided into eleven municipalities; The main town and seat of the prince is Vaduz. Liechtenstein is surrounded by the Swiss cantons of St. Gallen in the west and Graubünden in the south and the Austrian state of Vorarlberg in the east. The western border of Liechtenstein corresponds to the course of the Rhine. The highest point in Liechtenstein is the Grauspitz with a height of 2,599 meters. The Gampriner soul is the only natural lake in the principality.
Liechtenstein thrives on intensive international exchange. But the traditions of the villages are still alive today. Thanks to this mixture, the Principality of Liechtenstein has an extraordinarily diverse culture.
In addition to the numerous concerts and fascinating theater performances, there are a large number of museums, galleries and art studios that are of great importance for the entire cultural society.
The Liechtenstein art museum designed by Swiss architects Morger, Degelo and Kerez is an architectural landmark. As a museum for modern and contemporary art, it houses the state art collection and is known for its internationally important exhibitions. The museum first opened in 2000 and has delighted visitors ever since. The building is an architectural highlight, it is a seamlessly poured concrete structure, which causes a sensation with its colored facade (black basalt stone and the colored river gravel).
The Liechtenstein National Museum is also of great importance. Another important museum in the Liechtenstein winter sports region is the ski museum.
Malbun in the mountainous region of Liechtenstein is an internationally known winter sports resort.
Liechtenstein climate
Despite the alpine location, the climate in Liechtenstein is relatively mild due to the prevailing southerly winds. The climate is continental, the winters are cold and cloudy. It snows a lot. The humid summers are cool to comfortably warm and often cloudy.
Best travel time for Liechtenstein
From May to October you can hike and admire the sights in Liechtenstein. The mountain slopes in Liechtenstein are ideal for winter sports. The period between December and April is ideal for a skiing holiday in Liechtenstein. The resorts in the Alps are usually closed at the end of April / May and November.
Liechtenstein – key data
Area: 160 km²
Population: 35,236 (July 2011 estimate, CIA). Composition: Liechtenstein 65.6%, Swiss 10.8%, Austrians 5.9%,German 3.4%, Italians 3.3%, former Yugoslavia 3.3%, Turks 2.6%, others 4.8% & (2000 census)
Population density: 220 residents per km²
Population growth: 0.653% per year (2011, CIA)
Capital: de jure none, de facto Vaduz (5,109 residents, 2007)
Highest point: Vorder-Grauspitz, 2,599 m
Lowest point: Ruggeller Riet, 430 m
Form of government: Liechtenstein has been a constitutional hereditary monarchy on a democratic-parliamentary basis since 1921; the constitution dates from the same year. The Liechtensteiner houses of Parliament (Landtag) is composed of 25 members.
Administrative division: 11 municipalities: Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen, Triesenberg and Vaduz
Head of State: Prince Hans-Adam II von und zu Liechtenstein, since November 13, 1989. Deputy Prince Alois von und zu Liechtenstein, in office since August 15, 2004
Head of Government: Klaus Tschütscher, since March 25, 2009
Language: the official language in Liechtenstein is German. The predominant colloquial language is an Alemannic dialect.
Religion: Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%, other 6.2% (June 2002)
Local time: CET. Between the last Sunday in March and the last Sunday in October there is summer time in Liechtenstein (CET + 1 hour).
The time difference to Central Europe in both winter and summer 0 h.
International phone code: +423
Internet identifier:.li
Mains voltage: 220 V, 50 Hz
Liechtenstein Geography
the Principality Liechtenstein is a small sovereign state in Central Europe, located in the northern Alps on the Rhine between Switzerland and Austria. The territory of Liechtenstein, which covers only 160 square kilometers, borders on the St. Gallerland in the west, on Graubünden in the south and on Austria in the east and north Vorarlberg.
Of the approximately 34,700 residents of the principality, 34% are foreigners, i.e. Swiss, Austrians, Serbs, Italians and Germans – in exactly this order. The circumference of the smallest German-speaking country is 76 kilometers. The country includes the western foothills of the Rätikon chain, the upper and middle valley the Samina and the eastern part of the Alpine Rhine Valley.
The densely populated valley level in the Rhine Valley takes up half of the total land area and is mainly used for agriculture. This area is also very varied from a geological point of view, as the soils consist of moraine deposits, hanging debris and isolated deposits of loess. The different soil structures made of sand, peat, sandy loam and clay are characteristic of the Rhine Valley.
In the east there is a larger mountain landscape in terms of area but it is hardly inhabited. Grauspitz, on the border with Graubünden, is the highest mountain in Liechtenstein at 2,599 meters. It is followed by the Naafkopf at 2,570 meters and the Falknis at 2,560 meters. Opposite these alpine peaks is the Ruggeller Riet at just 430 meters above sea level as the lowest point in the principality.
The high valley of the Samina is mainly used for tourism because of its scenic diversity. After the last major flood by the Rhine in 1927, dams were built so that the river, which partly flows above the level of the plain, is prevented from overflowing and is also drained by a drainage system with an inland canal. During this flooding, the Gampriner Seele, the only natural lake in Liechtenstein, was created.
Vaduz is the capital of the Principality of Liechtenstein, which is divided into eleven municipalities, while Schaan is the largest city in the country.
Liechtenstein – arrival
Airplane: one getting thereby plane can be done via the nearest airports in Friedrichshafen (Germany) and Zurich (Switzerland).
Rail: through Liechtenstein leads the Railway line Feldkich-Buchs with stops in Schaan-Vaduz, Forst-Hilti and Neldeln.
Car: through Liechtenstein Although there are no motorways, the state has a well-developed road network with various border crossings to the neighbors Switzerland and Austria. The Swiss A13 motorway runs along the border with Switzerland formed by the Rhine.
Bus: there are regular bus connections between Vaduz and the Swiss cities of Buchs, Romanshorn and Sargans. Buses to Schaan start from the Austrian border town of Feldkirch, with a connection to Vaduz.
Liechtenstein – traveling in the country
Bus: Liechtenstein’s public transport is used by numerous people buses of the Liechtenstein Bus company. There are timetables at the tourist office in Vaduz. Visit rrrjewelry.com for Liechtenstein as a tourism country.
Liechtenstein – sights
Liechtenstein has a large number of the most diverse to its visitors and attractions to offer. So the country has some interesting sacred buildings to offer . These would be the St.-Maria-zum-Trost chapel in Schaan, the Kappelen St. Mamerten and Maria in Triesen, the St. Joseph chapel in Planken, the late Gothic parish church of Mauren and the parish church of Bendern from 1280.
Although Liechtenstein is not is very big there are some interesting museums and see historical buildings.
The state museum in Vaduz is worth seeing. Here you can learn everything about the cultural history of Liechtenstein, as well as regional and natural history.
Vaduz Castle is also worth a visit. The original construction of the castle dates back to the twelfth century. The castle was structurally modified during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries and can still be visited in this state. The castle is now the residence of the royal family.
You should also have seen the Liechtenstein Art Museum. There is an extensive collection of various works of art from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries on display.
A trip to Gutenberg Castle from the thirteenth century will definitely not be boring.
The Roman excavations at Eschen-Nendeln and Schaan are absolutely impressive.
Other interesting old buildings in Lichtenstein are the ruins of Schellenberg Castle, the Walser Home Museum and the Biedermannhaus in Schellenberg.
The Birka bird paradise is an absolute highlight. It is a wonderful nature reserve where you can watch birds from all over the world, for example parakeets, parrots, various species of peacock, etc.
You can even see rare plant species and amphibians in Birka.
