Schloss Vaduz
Encyclopedia
Vaduz Castle is the palace
and official residence of the Prince of Liechtenstein. The castle gave its name to the town of Vaduz
, the capital of Liechtenstein
, which it overlooks from an adjacent hilltop.
. The Bergfried
(12th century) and parts of the east-side are the oldest. The tower stands upon a piece of ground of about 12 x 13 m and has a wall density on the ground floor of up to 4 metres. The original entrance lay at the Hofzijde at an 11 metre height. The chapel St. Anna was presumably built in the Middle Ages as well. The main altar is late-gothic. In the Schwaben War
of 1499, the castle was burned by the honorbound of Switzerland
. The west-side was expanded on by Count Kaspar van Hohenems (1613–1640).
The Liechtenstein family 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 Principality of Liechtenstein.
. Since 1938, the castle has been the primary residence of Liechtenstein's Royal Family. Many of the royal family resided in the castle, that could be the main reason why the castle has been expanded over the years.
It has never been open to tourists.
guard and patrol the outside of the castle at one given time. Most of the time there is one guard that is stationed at the front gate.
There has never been an assassination attempt on any member of the royal family.
Palace
A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word itself is derived from the Latin name Palātium, for Palatine Hill, one of the seven hills in Rome. In many parts of Europe, the...
and official residence of the Prince of Liechtenstein. The castle gave its name to the town of Vaduz
Vaduz
Vaduz is the capital of the principality of Liechtenstein and the seat of the national parliament. The town, located along the Rhine, has about 5,100 inhabitants , most of whom are Roman Catholic. Its cathedral is the seat of a Roman Catholic archbishop....
, the capital of Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein
The Principality of Liechtenstein is a doubly landlocked alpine country in Central Europe, bordered by Switzerland to the west and south and by Austria to the east. Its area is just over , and it has an estimated population of 35,000. Its capital is Vaduz. The biggest town is Schaan...
, which it overlooks from an adjacent hilltop.
History
The earliest mention of the castle can be found in the deed of the Count Rudolf von Werdenberg-Sargans for a sale to Ulrich von Matsch. The then owners - presumably also the builders - were the Counts of Werdenberg-SargansCounty of Sargans
The County of Sargans was a state of the Holy Roman Empire. From 1458 until the French Revolutionary War in 1798, Sargans became a condominium of the Old Swiss Confederacy, administered jointly by the cantons of Uri, Schwyz, Unterwalden, Lucerne, Zürich, Glarus and Zug.-History:In 1396, the counts...
. The Bergfried
Keep
A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the...
(12th century) and parts of the east-side are the oldest. The tower stands upon a piece of ground of about 12 x 13 m and has a wall density on the ground floor of up to 4 metres. The original entrance lay at the Hofzijde at an 11 metre height. The chapel St. Anna was presumably built in the Middle Ages as well. The main altar is late-gothic. In the Schwaben War
Swabian War
The Swabian War of 1499 was the last major armed conflict between the Old Swiss Confederacy and the House of Habsburg...
of 1499, the castle was burned by the honorbound of Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. The west-side was expanded on by Count Kaspar van Hohenems (1613–1640).
The Liechtenstein family acquired Vaduz Castle in 1712 when it purchased the countship of Vaduz. At this time, Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles VI was the penultimate Habsburg sovereign of the Habsburg Empire. He succeeded his elder brother, Joseph I, as Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia , Hungary and Croatia , Archduke of Austria, etc., in 1711...
, combined the countship with the Lordship of Schellenberg
Schellenberg
Schellenberg is a municipality in the lowland area of Liechtenstein, on the banks of the Rhine. , it has a population of 952 and covers an area of .-Early history:...
, purchased by the Liechtensteins in 1699, to form the Principality of Liechtenstein.
Today
The castle underwent a major restoration between 1905 and 1920, then again in the early 2000s during the reign of Prince Johann II, and was expanded during the early 1930s by Prince Franz Joseph IIFranz Joseph II, Prince of Liechtenstein
Franz Joseph II, Prince of Liechtenstein, , was the Sovereign Prince of Liechtenstein from 1938 until his death...
. Since 1938, the castle has been the primary residence of Liechtenstein's Royal Family. Many of the royal family resided in the castle, that could be the main reason why the castle has been expanded over the years.
It has never been open to tourists.
Security and defence of the castle
During the impoverished days of the principality the prince could have sought refuge from a mob of peasants. Over the years there has been a decreasing number of military soldiers, now only one or two policeLaw enforcement in Liechtenstein
Law enforcement in Liechtenstein is handled solely by the small National Police of Liechtenstein , consisting of 87 officers and 38 civilian staff, a total of 125 employees who police the 160 km² doubly landlocked alpine country in Western-Central Europe...
guard and patrol the outside of the castle at one given time. Most of the time there is one guard that is stationed at the front gate.
There has never been an assassination attempt on any member of the royal family.