A visit to the fourth smallest state of Europe, Liechtenstein

While on our way from Switzerland to Salzburg, Austria to fetch my mother for the trip to Vienna, we passed by the charming small nation of Liechtenstein.

Information from it’s official website said Liechtenstein is the fourth-smallest state in Europe which lies in the center of the Alps, between Switzerland and Austria. Honestly, I did not even know it existed until my brother-in-law purposely drove by it even if he’s been driving for already six hours straight. Such a sweet guy.

“Liechtenstein is a landlocked country between Switzerland and Austria. The official currency is the Swiss franc, though euros and dollars are therefore accepted. Liechtenstein is small, so everyone knows each other. The national dish is ‘Ribel’, Which is made using cornmeal or wheat semolina. ‘Cheese dumplings’, a type of doughy pasta covered in melted cheese, is so popular. Fine-dining enthusiasts will find no fewer than four restaurants highly rated by Gault et Millau. In years gone by, cider and wine were the main drinks, while a brewery that is produced beer. Today, Liechtenstein’s wine has vineyards in exellent reputation thanks to the innovative approach used by the region’s vineyards,” it’s official website said.

Such beautiful sculptures in front of the City hall

According to the state’s official website, Liechtenstein is a business center ‘with proven financial expertise’ with about 30 large companies whose employees number around 8,000 while 30,000 more work in branches of foreign companies based in Liechtenstein.

“A number of institutions and universities in the country offer education and research opportunities. As a fully fledged member of the United Nations and the European Economic Area, Liechtenstein has developed in recent decades to become independent of state on an equal footing with other European countries. “

Music school

We just walked around Liechtenstein’s plaza for a short while. Truth is, it felt like another European city I’ve been to except that it had a ‘cozy feel’ to it.

We drove by the residential areas of Liechtenstein but I was not able to snap photos of them. As I mentioned above, it looks the same as all the other European countries I’ve been to. Suffice it to say that the houses and roads are very similar to its German or Austrian counterparts.

“The name ‘Liechtenstein’ was given to the region by the Princes of Liechtenstein, who purchased the County of Vaduz (1712) and the lands of Schellenberg (1699) and united them to form the Principality of Liechtenstein in 1719. The name of the eponymous princely house can be traced back to a castle in the town of Maria Enzensdorf in Upper Austria. Built by Hugo von Petronell-Liechtenstein around 1130, this castle is said to stand on a rock known as the light (‘Licht’) stone (‘Stein’).”

Sadly, though, we weren’t able to see the castle because it would mean staying here longer. Perhaps some other time, yes? ^_^