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The Prince and his family
The Princely House of Liechtenstein is one
of the oldest noble families in Europe and a
very successful entrepreneurial family. The
Princely Art Collections are among the most
important private art collections in the
world and encompass major works of
European art over four centuries. In 1938,
Prince Franz Josef moved his residence to
Vaduz, and his son, Prince Hans-Adam II, is
the first Reigning Prince to have been born
in Liechtenstein. Succession to the throne is
governed by the Law on the Princely House.
On 15 August 2004, Prince Hans-Adam II
transferred his sovereign rights to his eldest
son, Hereditary Prince Alois, and named him
his Representative. In 1993, Hereditary
Prince Alois married Duchess Sophie of
Bavaria, who is a direct descendent of the
last Bavarian king. The Hereditary Prince and
his wife have three boys and one girl.
www.fuerstenhaus.li
Vaduz Castle
Vaduz Castle is the residence of the Princely
Family. Visible from far away and yet close
enough to touch, the famous landmark is
perched on a rocky terrace above Vaduz,
accessible by a romantic footpath. If the
blue-red flag with the golden crown flies
above the Castle, the Prince is at home. The
privacy of the Princely Family is respected,
which is why the Castle cannot be visited.
But you may be lucky and encounter a
member of the Princely Family on your
voyage of discovery through the country.
C O U N T R Y A N D P E O P L E
Facts about the country
Area
160 km2 (62 square miles)
Topography
Lowest point: Ruggeller Riet, 430 meters
(1410 feet) elevation; highest mountain:
Grauspitz, 2599 meters (8527 feet)
elevation
Largest extension
24.6 km (15.3 miles) long and 12.4 km
(7.7 miles) wide
National borders
76 km (47 miles)
Climate
20 to 28° C (68 to 82° F) in the summer,
minus 15° C (5° F) at the coldest in the
winter
Capital
Vaduz
Population
34.600 (31 December 2004)
Language
Standard German is the official language; an
Alemannic dialect is the colloquial language
Religion
80 % Roman Catholic, 7 % Protestant,
13 % other religions
Currency
Swiss franc (CHF)
System of state
Constitutional hereditary monarchy on a
democratic and parliamentary basis
Head of State
Prince Hans-Adam II von und zu
Liechtenstein
Parliament
25 Members
Government
Five-person collegial government,
appointed by the Reigning Prince on
recommendation of Parliament for 4 years
Time
Central European Time (GMT +1), Daylight
Savings Time (+1 hour from the end of
March to the end of October)
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