Vaduz Castle (Liechtenstein)

The central landmark of Vaduz is the Castle, actually a medieval fortress expanded in the 16th and 17th centuries. The first explicit mention of the fortress was in a document with which Court Rudolf von Werdenberg-Sargans pledged the fortress to Ulrich von Matsch. The owners at the time - and probably also the builders - were the Counts of Werdenberg-Sargans.

The keep of the castle (12th century) and the buildings on the east side are the oldest part of the complex. footprint of the tower is 12 to 13 meters; the thickness of its walls at its base is up to 4 meters. The original entrance was on the courtyard side at a height of 11 meters.

The basic structure of the Chapel of St. Anne was probably founded in the Middle Ages. The main altar is late Gothic. In the Swabian War of 1499, the Swiss burned the castle. The Round Tower was built from 1529 to 1532. The western side was expanded by Count Kaspar von Hohenems (1613-1640).

Since 1712, the castle was in possession of the Liechtenstein Princes. The castle served as a temporary headquarters for the imperial administrator, but most of the building became increasingly dilapidated. Under Prince Johann II, the castle was finally extensively restored 1905-1912 and was later converted into a residence by Prince Franz Joseph II. The Castle has been the permanent residence of the Princely family since 1938. It is not accessible to the public