by Scott Mehl and Emily McMahon © Unofficial Royalty 2012
Vaduz Castle
Vaduz
photo: Wikipedia
Vaduz Castle is the official and primary residence of the Prince of Liechtenstein and his family.
Valtice Castle
photo: Wikipedia
Valtice Castle is a residence originally designed as the home of the Princely Family of Liechtenstein. Located in the present-day Czech Republic, Valtice Castle was designed by Austrian Johann Bernhard Fischer, one of the most notable architects of the early 18th century. Fischer is probably best known as the architect of Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna. The building of Valtice was ordered by ruling Prince Charles Eusebius of Liechtenstein. Another famous Baroque architect, Domenico Martinelli, supervised the construction of the castle. Martinelli was also the architect of the Stadtpalais Liechtenstein (City Palace), which was designed as a home in Vienna for the Princely Family.
Valtice Castle was only in possession of the Liechtenstein princes for about 125 years. The property was confiscated in 1918 at the end of World War I by the newly created state of Czechoslovakia. As the Liechtenstein princes had long been allied with the Austrian Habsburgs, the family lost all privileges to the home following the collapse of the Austrian Empire. Valtice later came under Communist control in 1945, at the close of World War II.
Valtice is part of a large collection of homes, lodges, churches, gardens, and other Baroque structures now known as the Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape, a UNESCO World Heritage site. A portion of Valtice is now used as a hotel known as Hotel Hubertus.
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