Any In Here?

Leichtenstein. Banking available

The profusion of banks in Liechtenstein is a strong first impression.  Not the views (which appear to be incidental to the main function - money; even with business construction blocking the finest of the views from old churches at the tops of highest hills), not the food, not the architecture (a blend: simple chalets or other practical shapes, unfussy mostly we saw).

Now, NYT reports that Liechtenstein as well as Switzerland and some other offshore sweet spots, have agreed to open their records to the IRS. See ://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/19/opinion/19mon2.html/.  Some 7500 errant nontaxpayers are coming forward, so it says.

This is not a new idea, as opening sham or real accounts is fine sport.

St. Mamertus, Triesen, Liechtenstein (chapel)

Triesen is another of the some eleven districts of Liechtenstein, and the one that boasts its most iconic landmark: The St. Marmertus or St. Mamerten Kapelle. Triesen dates in records from the early 1100's.

Liechtenstein is surrounded by other landlocked countries (Switzerland and Austria), so it manufactures its own modern-day industry.  It chose one that requires minimal transport expense - facilitating whatever business people want to do with their finances, investments, assets and businesses, far from prying governmental regulatory or income-control eyes.

And transport everything by switchbacks with mirrors to tell you if anyone else is on the road to see.

So, come here with it.

Vaduz, Liechtenstein.

And Planken. A Nice Place to Live

Liechtenstein is a principality, governed by a "prince" and not a king or queen - that would make it a monarchy, and not a principality. The country is 62 square miles. 

It is landlocked, bordering on Switzerland and Austria, hardly noticeable on maps because its 16 mile (km? we forget) length is so tiny. Vaduz is the capital.  Planken is a desirable family residential community far up the mountainside, many switchbacks to get there.

Vaduz Castle, Vaduz, Liechtenstein

The castle is reached by car and then foot, from a lot that is not too far down the road. The area is parkland around, so choose between a path straighter up or down, or the paved switchback road. The royal family still lives here.

Vaduz Castle, Vaduz, Liechtenstein. Fortress elements intact, but open window

Watch for shutter patterns on old fortresses.  They range from waves, to figural, here an X.  Often red and white.

Vaduz, as the capital of this principality of some 35000 citizens, is tightly compacted - needed because the Rhine Valley here is flat but with mountainsides rising from it. The town itself is on the valley base, but parts angle necessarily up and up. We rambled coming down from the castle (not open to the public, still lived in).  See Digital Liechtenstein, the Portal of the Principality, at ://www.liechtenstein.li/en/.

View from Balzers, Gutenberg Castle visit

Background:  Schloss Gutenberg (or Burg Gutenberg, both we understand mean Castle Gutenberg) bears no connection to the Gutenberg of printing press fame, but we so far have found no derivation for the name. The castle was built in the 11th Century, belonged to the Barons of Frauenberg (where?) then passed into Austrian hands for over 400 years, from 1314 to about 1824, when the municipality of Balzers bought it.
1

Municipality, commune, district, we see many names for the divisions of Liechtenstein. Triesen, and here, Triesenberg, is the highest municipality in the country.  Preserve, preserve.

The town dates from the 13th Century. The Rhine Valley is a fairytale below.Here is St. Joseph's Church on the high slope of Triesenberg.

St.

Balzers is a municipality that also sports a football team, see ://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FC_Balzers/.  We have not checked the others.

Balzers, Liechtenstein; town view from Castle Gutenberg

The castle is the dominant feature, but it also is a grape-grower's heaven.  Here is a well-planted slopey hill, covered in blue netting to fend off the birds.

Where to stay.  Here is a site with lists of Hostels, see The Backpacking Site, at ://www.the-backpacking-site.com/general-travel-advice.html/  To find some of them, you may need a GPS just to save time.

We drove past Vaduz to get oriented first.  And found a fine, business-traveler oriented hotel, the Schachle, at Nendeln. Vaduz is a district, as well as the town capital, of Liechtenstein.
Blog Archive
Blog Archive
About Me
About Me
1. Travel, improvised road trips. Two on the Loose: EUROPE ROAD WAYS. How we do it; (click) Europe Road Ways, How We Do It; and Europe Road Ways on the Web. Blogs for countries visited: Andorra Road Ways, Austria Road Ways, Belgium Road Ways, Bosnia Road Ways, China Road Ways (Jon's trip), Croatia Road Ways, Czech Republic Road Ways, Denmark Road Ways, England Road Ways, France Road Ways, Germany Road Ways, Greece Road Ways (Carol and Jon), Hebrides Road Ways, Hungary Road Ways, Ireland Road Ways, Italy Road Ways, Liechtenstein Road Ways, Luxembourg Road Ways, Montenegro Road Ways, Netherlands Road Ways, Norway Road Ways, Orkney Road Ways, Poland Road Ways, Romania Road Ways, Russia Road Ways Moscow, Russia Road Ways St.Petersburg, Scotland Road Ways, Sicily Road Ways, Slovakia, Slovenia Road Ways, Spain Road Ways, including Gibraltar, Sweden Road Ways, Switzerland Road Ways, Trieste Road Ways, Wales Road Ways;
Labels
Labels
Loading
Dynamic Views theme. Powered by Blogger. Report Abuse.