Vaduz Castle | |
---|---|
Schloss Vaduz (in German) | |
General information | |
Type | Palace |
Location | Vaduz, Liechtenstein |
Coordinates | 47°08′22″N9°31′28″E / 47.13944°N 9.52444°E |
Construction started | 12th century |
Owner | Princely Family of Liechtenstein |
Vaduz Castle (German: Schloss Vaduz) is the palace and official residence of the Prince of Liechtenstein. [1] The castle gave its name to the town of Vaduz, the capital of Liechtenstein, which it overlooks from an adjacent hilltop. [2] [3]
The former owners, who were presumably also the builders, were the counts of Werdenberg-Sargans. The bergfried (the keep, built in the 12th century) and parts of the eastern side are the oldest. The tower stands on a piece of ground that is 12 by 13 metres (39 by 43 feet) in area. At the ground floor, the tower walls have a thickness of up to 4 metres (13 feet). The original entrance lay at the courtyard side at a height of 11 metres (36 feet). The chapel of St. Anna was presumably built in the Middle Ages as well. The main altar is late-gothic. In the Swabian War of 1499, the castle was burned by the Swiss Confederacy. The western side was expanded by Count Kaspar von Hohenems (1613–1640). [4] [5] [6] [7]
The princely family of Liechtenstein acquired Vaduz Castle in 1712, when it purchased the countship of Vaduz. At this time, Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, combined the countship with the Lordship of Schellenberg, purchased by the Liechtensteins in 1699, to form the present Principality of Liechtenstein. [8]
The castle underwent a major restoration between 1904 and 1920, then again in the early 1920s during the reign of Prince Johann II, and was expanded during the early 1930s by Prince Franz Joseph II. Since 1938, the castle has been the primary residence of Liechtenstein's Princely Family. The castle is not open to the public as the princely family still lives in the castle. [9] [10] [11]
Liechtenstein, officially the Principality of Liechtenstein, is a doubly landlocked German-speaking microstate in the Central European Alps, between Austria in the east and north and Switzerland in the west and south. Liechtenstein is a semi-constitutional monarchy headed by the prince of Liechtenstein of the House of Liechtenstein, currently led by Hans-Adam II. It is Europe's fourth-smallest country, with an area of just over 160 square kilometres and a population of 40,023. It is the world's smallest country to border two countries, and is one of the few countries with no debt.
Political identity came to the territory now occupied by the Principality of Liechtenstein in 814, with the formation of the subcountry of Lower Rhætia. Liechtenstein's borders have remained unchanged since 1434, when the Rhine established the border between the Holy Roman Empire and the Swiss cantons.
Vaduz is the capital of Liechtenstein and also the seat of the national parliament. The city, which is located along the Rhine, has 5,696 residents. The most prominent landmark of Vaduz is Vaduz Castle, perched atop a steep hill overlooking the city. It is home to the reigning prince of Liechtenstein and the Liechtenstein princely family. The city's distinctive architecture is also displayed in landmarks such as the Cathedral of St. Florin, Government House, City Hall, the National Art Gallery, as well as the National Museum. Although Vaduz is the best-known town in the principality internationally, it is not the largest; neighbouring Schaan has a larger population.
Johann II, nicknamed the Good, was Prince of Liechtenstein from 12 November 1858 until his death in 1929.
Franz Joseph II was the reigning Prince of Liechtenstein from 25 July 1938 until his death in November 1989.
Schellenberg is a municipality in the lowland area of Liechtenstein, on the banks of the Rhine. As of 2019, it has a population of 1,107 and covers an area of 3.5 km2 (1.4 sq mi)
Liechtenstein Castle is a castle near Maria Enzersdorf in Lower Austria, bordering Vienna. It is on the edge of the Wienerwald. Liechtenstein Castle is the eponymous ancestral seat and place of origin of the House of Liechtenstein, the ruling family of the Principality of Liechtenstein. The family owned the castle from the middle of the 12th century until the 13th century, and again from 1808 to the present.
Sophie, Hereditary Princess of Liechtenstein, Countess of Rietberg was born a member of the House of Wittelsbach, with the courtesy title of Duchess in Bavaria, and second in line for the Jacobite succession. She is married to Alois, Hereditary Prince and Regent of Liechtenstein.
The House of Liechtenstein, from which the principality takes its name, is the family which reigns by hereditary right over the principality of Liechtenstein. Only dynastic members of the family are eligible to inherit the throne. The dynasty's membership, rights and responsibilities are defined by a law of the family, which is enforced by the reigning prince and may be altered by vote among the family's dynasts, but which may not be altered by the Government or Parliament of Liechtenstein.
Alois, Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein is the eldest son of Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein, and Countess Marie Kinsky von Wchinitz und Tettau, and the heir apparent to the throne of Liechtenstein. Alois has been regent of the country since 15 August 2004, while his father remains the official head of state.
Schalun Castle, also known colloquially as Wildschloss, is a castle ruin located in the municipality of Vaduz, Liechtenstein. It lies in the mountains, roughly 1 kilometer to the northeast from the town centre of Vaduz, the capital of Liechtenstein. It is freely open to tourists and accessible by foot or mountain bike via a local footpath. Schalun Castle is one of the five existing castles in Liechtenstein and one of the three ruined ones in the country.
Untere Burg, also known colloquially as Burg Alt-Schellenberg, is a castle ruin located in the municipality of Schellenberg, Liechtenstein. It lies at the edge of a local forest, a few hundred metres north of the main road between Vorderer Schellenberg and Mittleler Schellenberg. It is freely open to tourists and accessible by foot or mountain bike via a local footpath. Untere Burg is one of the five existing castles in Liechtenstein and one of the three ruined ones in the country.
Obere Burg, also known colloquially as Burg Neu-Schellenberg, is a castle ruin located in the municipality of Schellenberg, Liechtenstein. It lies at the western edge of Hinterschloss, one of the burroughs in the village of Neu-Schellenberg. It is freely open to tourists. Due to its close proximity to Hinterschloss, it is probably the most easily accessible of all Liechtenstein castles. Obere Burg is one of the five existing castles in Liechtenstein and one of the three ruined ones in the country.
Gutenberg Castle is an intact castle in the town of Balzers, Liechtenstein, in the centre of the municipality of Balzers, the southern-most municipality in the country. Gutenberg is one of the five castles of the principality and one of two that have survived intact until the present day.
The monarchy of Liechtenstein is the constitutional form of government by which a hereditary sovereign reigns as the head of state of Liechtenstein. The current monarch is Prince Hans-Adam II. The House of Liechtenstein, after which the sovereign principality was named in 1719, hails from Liechtenstein Castle in Lower Austria, which the family possessed from the middle of the twelfth century to the thirteenth century, and from 1807 onward. It is the only remaining European monarchy that practises strict agnatic primogeniture.
This is an index of Liechtenstein related topics.
Wilfersdorf Castle is located in the Weinviertel in the town of Wilfersdorf, in the Mistelbach district. The castle and its estate have been continuously owned by the Liechtenstein family since 1436. It always served as a summer and hunting seat of the reigning princes. Today it also houses a cultural and exhibition centre as well as the property management offices of the princely estates in Weinviertel. It is renowned for its princely cellars. A well-known white wine is produced here on 38.5 hectares of vineyards.
Friedrichsburg Castle was a princely castle in renaissance style, situated in Hechingen, within the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It was the residence of the princes of Hohenzollern-Hechingen. At the start of the nineteenth century, the castle was demolished and replaced by the ‘Neues Schloss’. Today, nothing remains anymore of the Friedrichsburg.
The Liechtenstein Palace is a neoclassical palace near Maria Enzersdorf in Lower Austria, bordering Vienna. It is on the edge of the Vienna Woods. It stands opposite south of Liechtenstein Castle, the ancestral seat of and place of origin of the House of Liechtenstein, the ruling family of the Principality of Liechtenstein. Prince Johann I of Liechtenstein (1760–1836) built the neoclassical palace in Biedermeier style at the start of the 19th century as one of the princely summer residences. In the aftermath of World War II, the palace fall into ruins and has been sold by the princely family.
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