Little Europe: Liechtenstein

More info about travel to Europe: http://www.ricksteves.com/europe Nestled between Switzerland and Austria, the principality of Liechtenstein is a quirky remnant of medieval feudal politics, where women were not given the vote until 1984.

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Further north lies
another pint-sized country that’s tucked away,
not on a hill, but in the mighty Alps. Two centuries ago,
there were dozens of independent states
in German-speaking Europe. Today, there are only four — Germany, Austria,
Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. Nestled between Switzerland
and Austria, the principality
of Liechtenstein is defined by the mighty Alps
to the east, the baby Rhine river
to the west, and a stout fortress
protecting the mouth of its valley
to the south. This quirky remnant
of medieval feudal politics is just about 62 square miles. It’s truly landlocked,
without a sea port or even an airport. Liechtensteiners,
who number about 35,000, speak German,
are mostly Catholic, and have a stubborn
independent streak. Women weren’t given the vote
until 1984. The country is made up
of 11 villages. The village of Triesenberg,
high above the valley, gathers around
its onion-domed church, which recalls the settlers
who arrived here centuries ago from the western part
of Switzerland. The town of Vaduz sits
on the valley floor. While it has only 5,000 people,
it’s the country’s capital. Its pedestrianized main drag
is lined with modern art and hotels, bordering a district
of slick office parks. Historically,
Europe’s tiny countries have offered businesses special tax and accounting
incentives. For a place with
such a small population, Liechtenstein has
a lot of businesses. Many European countries
locate here to take advantage
of its low taxes. And that’s how the prince
of Liechtenstein, whose castle is perched
above his domain, likes it. The billionaire prince,
who looks down on his 6×12-mile country, wields more
real political power in his realm
than any other European royalty. The National Museum
tells the story of the prince
and his country. Their family crest dates
to the Middle Ages, when the Liechtenstein family
was close friends with the Habsburg family,
who ruled the Holy Roman Empire. The Liechtenstein family purchased this piece
of real estate from the Holy Roman emperor. In 1719, the domain was granted
principality status, answering only
to the emperor. The Liechtenstein princes, who lived near Vienna,
saw their new country merely as a status symbol and didn’t even bother to visit
for decades. In fact, it wasn’t until
the 20th century that the first Liechtenstein
prince actually lived here. In 1806, during
the Napoleonic age, Liechtenstein’s obligations to the Habsburg emperor
disappeared, and the country was granted
true independence. Later, after World War I,
tough times forced the principality
to enter into an economic union
with Switzerland. To this day, Liechtenstein enjoys a close working
relationship with its Swiss neighbors. And, like Switzerland,
a big part of its modern economy
is tourism and sports, hosting visitors enjoying
its dramatic natural beauty. Ski lifts, busy both winter
and summer, take nature lovers
to the dizzying ridge that serves as the border
with Austria. Even in little, little
Liechtenstein, the views are big. And the hiking possibilities
go on and on.