Liechtenstein

Where the name comes from

Liechtenstein is named after its ruling family, who took their name from their Austrian castle; German licht and Stein mean “bright stone”.

First people

Alemannic settlers brought the German language here in the early Middle Ages, and its people are still mainly German-speaking.¹

Known for

Liechtenstein is known for being one of the world’s smallest countries and one of the few that is doubly landlocked.²

Outside contact

The Liechtenstein family, from Austria, bought Schellenberg and Vaduz to win a seat in the Holy Roman Empire’s council of princes.^3,4

The modern country

In 1719 the emperor united them as the Principality of Liechtenstein, which became sovereign in 1806 and stayed so through Europe’s later upheavals.³