Balzers
Historically, the present-day form of the village consists of two different villages, the actual Balzers in the east and Mäls in the west. Not visible to the unaware, the division still persists in the local village culture, where it manifests in half-serious local competition. Some customs, such as the "Funken", a springtime ritual with pre-Christian origins involving a huge bonfire, are still being practised by each separately. The two parts were first mentioned in 842 as Palazole.
Balzers is the home of the Burg Gutenberg, which was built in the 12th-century and located on a rocky hill in the centre of the village.
On 7 April 2014, the manager, Jürgen Frick, of the Frick & Co. Bank was shot and killed in a parking garage in the town. The shooter, Jürgen Hermann, was found dead after committing suicide by shooting himself in the head. The event was noteworthy due to Liechtenstein's extremely low crime rate.
Map - Balzers
Map
Country - Liechtenstein
Flag of Liechtenstein |
Liechtenstein is bordered by Switzerland to the west and south and Austria to the east and north. It is Europe's fourth-smallest country, with an area of just over 160 km2 and a population of 38,749. Divided into 11 municipalities, its capital is Vaduz, and its largest municipality is Schaan. It is also the smallest country to border two countries. Liechtenstein is a doubly landlocked country between Switzerland and Austria.
Currency / Language
ISO | Currency | Symbol | Significant figures |
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CHF | Swiss franc | Fr | 2 |
ISO | Language |
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DE | German language |