Actually I see it almost every day, or at least a representation of it, as I have on my sitting-room wall a painting of the castle by my father.
The original castle was built in the 1100s, but later became an inn before being bought by the Liechtenstein family in 1712 as part of purchasing the county of Vaduz.
Seven years later the county and the adjoining lordship of Schellenberg, which had also been bought by the family, were combined to form a single political unit, more precisely a principality, which was then named Liechtenstein.
This gave the family enhanced status within the Holy Roman Empire, which was apparently the sole point of buying the land in the first place.
Indeed it is said no head of the family bothered to set foot in the principality for more than 100 years, preferring instead to live at Liechtenstein Castle in Lower Austria.
Nowadays the Liechtensteins' principal residence is Vaduz Castle, from where the head of the family is head of state with powers that were increased after a referendum in 2003.
An attempt to remove the prince's veto power over legislation was rejected by 76% of voters in a 2012 referendum.
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