Gutenberg Castle (no relation to Gutenberg and his famous printing press) sits on a hill overlooking the village of Balzars in the south of the country. Today Haus Gutenberg is home to the educational institution, Mariahilf. Centuries ago it was manned fortification and the scene of many battles.
In the early 1300’s the Barons of Frauenberg owned the castle. In 1308, the Emperor of Austria was murdered and the Barons of Frauenberg were thought to be involved. In retaliation the Archduke of Austria attacked and took the castle. The masters of Ramschwag then took over the garrisoning for Austria. In subsequent years, the castle was attacked by Swiss troops in the Swabian wars but never conquered. It remained under Austrian control until Liechtenstein became an independent principality in the 1800’s. It was still nominally Austrian as the Ruling Prince of Liechtenstein was an Imperial Prince of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until after World War I.
One of Liechtenstein’s famous citizens, Grete Gulbransson, Poetress and writer, once lived in Haus Gutenburg.
Hermine Kindle de Contreras Torres was born in Triesen but moved with her family to California in 1925. There she met and married Miguel de Contreras Torres. They moved to Mexico City where they both became famous in Mexican film industry. In 1951 they brought Haus Gutenberg as a summer residence.
The author Grete Gulbransson-Jehly once wrote that Gutenberg Castle “ seems to me the most desriable on Earth….”. It still is today.
Schellenberg the smallest parish of Liechtenstein lies in a hilly and densely wooded area. Its defensible location have been occupied since 3000 BC. A number of castles have been built here during the Middle Ages by the various barons and lords who ruled over the countryside. Many of the small castles were destroyed in pleasant uprisings and local wars. Today you can visit the ruins of upper and lower Burg Schellenberg.
Around 15 BC the Romans conquered the valley and built forts such as Schaan Castle to protect their settlers and the north south road along the banks of the Rhine River from the Barbarian tribes to the north and east. When the Germanic Tribes invaded the Roman Empire, they did not spare the Liechtenstein Valley. As they stormed south through the Alpine passes, they slaughtered the inhabitants and burn the villages and villas to the ground. Today the ruins of Schaan Castle, as well as Roman villas excavated in Schaanwald and Nendeln can be seen.
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