Schellenberg, Liechtenstein

The village of Schellenberg is the smallest in Liechtenstein at 355 hectares and houses 1,000 inhabitants, lying approximately 700m above sea-level. Schellenberg is a delightful hilly area with beautiful views, surrounded by rich forests, overlooked by the Liechtenstein, Austrian and Swiss alpine chains. Due to its elevated location over the Rhine Valley, continued settlement can traced back to approx. 3000 B.C. Within the village boundaries there are two castle ruins, which housed the Knights of Schellenberg, in the 13th century.

The name Schellenberg comes from the dynasty of the knights of Schellenberg from Bavaria. In the 13th century, the dynasty owned the lordship of Schellenberg with the fortresses New and Old Schellenberg. In 1699, the Princes of Liechtenstein purchased the lordship.

Prince Franz Josef II of Liechtenstein presented the fortress ruins to the Historical Association in 1956. Schellenberg is also the village in which the oldest wooden residence in Liechtenstein is located. Built as a simple interlocking timber construction in 1518, the so-called Biedermann House stands in the centre of town as a document of late medieval building culture and is open to the public.

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