Vaduz, Liechtenstein
Vaduz, the capital of the Principality of Liechtenstein, is famous for its rich history and a considerable number of attractions. The city, located on the upper Rhine, is home to about five thousand inhabitants. Vaduz Cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Church.
Although Vaduz is the capital of the principality, it is still not the largest city in the country. In neighboring Schaan – it’s scary to think! — lives on 700 people more.
A bit of history
In historical manuscripts, Vaduz was first mentioned in the 12th century under the name Farduses. However, the official date of the founding of the city is considered to be the 13th century, and its founder is the Count of Werdenberg.
How to get to Vaduz
According to wholevehicles, the nearest railway station is located 2 km from Vaduz, in the city of Schaan. The trains of the railway line Bux (Switzerland) – Feldkirch (Austria) stop there. Bus traffic is very well developed in the city itself and its suburbs, more about which you can read here.
Entertainment and attractions of Vaduz
In addition to the prince’s castle (cozily located between Stadtle and Olestraße), which is visible from anywhere in the city, the main sights of the city are the Cathedral of St. Florina (neo-Gothic, 1868-1873), government house and city hall, which showcase the city’s varied architecture at various stages of its history.
The main street of the capital – Shtedle – goes around the mountain with the castle in a semicircle. It is on it that the whole life of Vaduz and most of the sights are focused: the city hall, the Liechtenstein Bank, the buildings of the boards of firms, joint-stock companies, a museum, and shops. In the center of the city there is a three-story building, over which a blue with a red flag with a golden crown flutters – the residence of all state institutions of Liechtenstein.
At the post office of Vaduz you can meet philatelists from all over the world. Several times a year, the Liechtenstein Post issues 6-7 new rarest stamps, which are distributed mainly to subscribers. The sale of these stamps is one of the largest sources of income for the Principality.
It is also worth visiting the “old town”, the Gothic chapel, the old hotel Gasthof-Leuven (1388). Well, about the Vaduz winery, famous for both its wines and the architecture of the buildings, it’s not worth talking about – a visit is a must!
Liechtenstein Post
An excellent and unique souvenir will be a postcard sent from Vaduz or a stamp about crossing the Liechtenstein border (since Liechtenstein stamps are not put in Switzerland or any other Schengen country). You can get your passport stamped at the Tourist Information Office for less than 5 EUR. Postcards and stamps can be purchased at the post office opposite the information office. Send it there.
Museums in Vaduz
Vaduz is home to the National Art Gallery, the National Museum and the Museum of Modern Art (Liechtenstein Museum of Art). There is also a Postage Stamp Museum and a Ski Museum.
Exhibits of the National Museum: coins, stamps, sets of stamps, handicrafts, old tomes, photographs and maps telling about the history of the country. The museum is located in the former princely tavern.
The National Art Gallery, owned by the princely family, has collected 1,500 paintings by world famous masters: from Rembrandt and Van Dyck to Brueghel and Rubens. The main treasure is “Ginevra de Benci” by Leonardo da Vinci. However, tourists can view only a small part of the collection and buy reproductions of paintings that are not available for viewing.
The Postage Stamp Museum is located near the post office and has existed since 1930. The museum displays the history of Liechtenstein and world philately, from the creation of the first postage stamp to the present day.
