Willkommen in Liechtensteins Bรผcherbibliothek
Welcome to Liechtenstein's book library
Liechtenstein โ quotes, proverbs & wisdom
Real words from the people of Liechtenstein, each with a verified source. New quotes are added as each is fact-checked.
The story of Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein's story starts with two small Alpine lordships: Schellenberg and Vaduz, part of the Holy Roman Empire for centuries. The House of Liechtenstein, a wealthy Austrian noble family, bought Schellenberg in 1699 and Vaduz in 1712 purely so it could hold a seat in the Imperial Diet. On 23 January 1719, Emperor Charles VI united the two territories and elevated them into the Principality of Liechtenstein -- a state created, unusually, to fit a family's ambitions rather than around an existing people or land. It joined Napoleon's Confederation of the Rhine in 1806, gaining sovereignty, then the German Confederation from 1815. When that confederation dissolved in 1866, Liechtenstein became fully independent, and in 1868 it disbanded its small army for good, declaring permanent neutrality. Economic ties shifted from Austria to Switzerland after the First World War: it adopted the Swiss franc in 1921 and joined a customs union with Switzerland in 1923. Since then, low taxes and a strong industrial and financial sector have made this tiny Alpine principality one of the wealthiest countries in the world per capita, while the princely family still reigns from Vaduz Castle above the capital.
Timeline โ key moments
- 1699
House of Liechtenstein purchases the Lordship of Schellenberg.
- 1712
House of Liechtenstein purchases the County of Vaduz.
- 1719
Emperor Charles VI unites Vaduz and Schellenberg into the Principality of Liechtenstein (23 January).
- 1806
Liechtenstein gains sovereignty, joining the Confederation of the Rhine under Napoleon.
- 1815-1866
Member of the German Confederation.
- 1866
Full independence upon the dissolution of the German Confederation.
- 1868
Liechtenstein disbands its army and declares permanent neutrality.
- 1921
New constitution adopted; Swiss franc becomes the currency.
- 1923
Customs union with Switzerland begins.
- 1990
Liechtenstein joins the United Nations (18 September).
- 1995
Joins the European Economic Area (EEA) and the World Trade Organization.
Top 10 things to know about Liechtenstein
- Liechtenstein is the world's smallest country to border two other countries (Switzerland and Austria).
- It is one of only two "doubly landlocked" countries on Earth, alongside Uzbekistan -- landlocked by countries that are themselves landlocked.
- The House of Liechtenstein has ruled since 1719; Prince Hans-Adam II has reigned since 1989.
- Liechtenstein disbanded its army in 1868 and has had no standing military since.
- It uses the Swiss franc, not the euro, despite belonging to the European Economic Area.
- The country has no airport of its own; the nearest major airport is in Zurich, Switzerland.
- Vaduz Castle, overlooking the capital, remains the private residence of the princely family.
- German is the official language; most residents speak a local Alemannic dialect at home.
- Liechtenstein is one of the most industrialised and highest GDP-per-capita countries in the world.
- It is Europe's fourth-smallest country, covering just over 160 square kilometres.
Famous people from Liechtenstein
Reigning Prince
Head of state since 1989; oversaw the 2003 constitutional referendum expanding princely powers.
Prince (1938-1989)
First prince to actually reside permanently in Liechtenstein; steered the country through WWII neutrality.
Alpine ski racer
Won Liechtenstein's first Olympic medal (1976) and its first two Olympic golds (Lake Placid, 1980).
Alpine ski racer
Olympic Super-G bronze medallist (PyeongChang 2018); daughter of Hanni Wenzel.
Writer
Poet and prose author; her collection "Man wortet sich die Orte selbst" won the European Union Prize for Literature in 2011.
Say it in Liechtenstein's language
Hello
Grรผezi
GROO-eh-tsi
Good day
Guten Tag
GOO-ten tahk
Thank you
Danke
DAHN-keh
Did you know?
- โ Liechtenstein and Uzbekistan are the only two countries in the world surrounded entirely by other landlocked countries.
- โ The country's last military deployment, in 1866, sent out 80 soldiers and brought back 81 -- an allied officer joined them on the way home.
- โ You can hike across the entire country in a single day: Liechtenstein is about 25 km long and 12 km wide at its widest.
Liechtenstein culture
- Staatsfeiertag (National Day) on 15 August combines the Assumption of Mary with celebrations of the princely family.
- The economy runs on precision manufacturing and financial services rather than tourism or agriculture, despite the Alpine setting.
- Vaduz Castle is not open to the public -- the royal family still lives there -- but its silhouette anchors the capital's skyline.
- A local Alemannic German dialect is spoken in daily life, while standard German is used for writing, school, and government.
Why read Liechtenstein's books
With barely 40,000 residents, Liechtenstein has produced a small but real literary scene, from award-winning poets to writers reckoning with the country's unusual dynastic history. Its shelves are a window into an Alpine micro-state that most of the world has only glimpsed on a map.
Continue exploring
Spotted an error about Liechtenstein? Report a correction โ we fix fast. Every fact here is checked, but if we got something wrong, tell us.