Today, exactly 302 years ago (in 1719), the Principality of Liechtenstein, a tiny country in Europe, was founded, measuring only 160 square kilometers.
Liechtenstein borders Switzerland and Austria, its capital is Vaduz and its official language is German.
The founding of the state of Liechtenstein took place on this date in 1719 when Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, ruled that Vaduz and Schlenberg would be united and the territory would belong to the Principality of Liechtenstein, in honor of his faithful and true servant Anton Florian of the House of Liechtenstein. Thus Liechtenstein became a sovereign state in the Holy Roman Empire. Despite the purchase, the Princes of Liechtenstein continued to live in Vienna, Austria and did not set foot in their country for 100 years.
Today, Liechtenstein has about 38,000 residents, most of whom are Christians.
Some interesting facts about Liechtenstein:
Liechtenstein has no airport. To get there you have to fly to Switzerland, to Zurich Kluten Airport, St. Gallen, or Friedrichshafen.
Liechtenstein in the army. It was abolished in the Austro-Prussian War in 1866.
Liechtenstein's economy is booming. Its inhabitants live among the highest standard of living in the world and its unemployment rate is among the lowest in European countries.
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| Vaduz Castle that towers over the city of Liechtenstein |
Liechtenstein's culture abounds in fairy tales and witches and to this day, if you visit there, you will meet not only princesses but also witches.
Between 1648 and 1679, three witch trials took place in Liechtenstein. The witch trials in Liechtenstein led to disputes among the families of the accused and the accusers and affected the society in Liechtenstein for a long time even after. 200 people, of both sexes, were executed for guilt in witchcraft. The reason for the executions is probably the large debts accumulated by the country’s ruler Ferdinand Karl von Hohenmes, who wanted to confiscate the property of the sorcerers and witches’ families (source).
The Principality of Liechtenstein is located in the Rhine Valley in the Alps and the national sport of Liechtenstein is alpine skiing.
Its most popular sport is football. Its football teams play in the Swiss football league and the most senior team is Vaduz. The Liechtenstein football team has never qualified for a significant tournament and is considered one of the weakest in the UEFA.
Liechtenstein's national holiday falls on August 15.
Liechtenstein is home to only a few dozen Jews, who make up 0.1% of the population. There are no Jewish schools or synagogues in the country. The largest minority religion is Islam (5.4% of the total population).
January 23 is also Handwriting Day and Pie Day