Liechtenstein National Museum, Vaduz, Liechtenstein

Liechtenstein National Museum building dated back to 1438. It used to house the princely tavern, custom house and the seat of the government. A work was carried out in 1998-2008 to renovate the building and it was extended towards the mountain slope. The museum displays artifacts about the history, culture and landscape of Liechtenstein in its three buildings and 42 exhibit rooms.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Talvi Wasp Gataca (20 months ago)
I wish I had had at least one more hour to finish this visit. Though most documents are copies, it is very interesting and informative, the way the space within the museum is used is great, you really travel through the history of Liechtenstein and the surrounding region. Count around 2h30 for a proper visit if you're curious ,though, since there's a lot to read, admire and learn about! I hope I can go back and spend at least one more hour there. Oh and special mention to the staff, beyond friendly and helpful.

Jasmin Mehtic (2 years ago)

Rich Brilli (2 years ago)
Definitely worth visiting if you’re in Vaduz! Lots of information on the history of Liechtenstein from the ancient days of man up through modern times. Great stuff about culture too. I’d recommend 1-2 hours (minimum to maximum) if you just have a day in Vaduz like I did! That’s enough time to either get a quick overview of Liechtenstein, and 2 hours you could do a pretty deep dive. Gift shop is pretty nice too, add 10 minutes to explore that :) Only had an hour - wish I’d skipped the whole bottom floor’s “ancient times” and gone right up to the top floor, as I was mostly interested in learning about the last century or so. Second floor was nice too with history from the 1200s-1700s or so. 10 CHF entrance fee comes with a little audio device that explains everything in your native language if you can’t read the German descriptions (mine: English!).

Peter Ó hÁdhmaill (2 years ago)
The National Museum, displays historical items from the regions' long history; the stone age, up to the modern principality, including the flower & fauna of the area. It contains a shop, and cafe. There is audio available, entrance costs €10. Staff are polite and helpful.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright Dan Lundberg

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Hagios Demetrios

The Church of Saint Demetrius, or Hagios Demetrios, is the main sanctuary dedicated to Saint Demetrius, the patron saint of Thessaloniki. It is part of the site Palaeochristian and Byzantine Monuments of Thessaloniki on the list of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO since 1988.

The first church on the spot was constructed in the early 4th century AD, replacing a Roman bath. A century later, a prefect named Leontios replaced the small oratory with a larger, three-aisled basilica. Repeatedly gutted by fires, the church eventually was reconstructed as a five-aisled basilica in 629–634. This was the surviving form of the church much as it is today. The most important shrine in the city, it was probably larger than the local cathedral. The historic location of the latter is now unknown.

The church had an unusual shrine called the ciborium, a hexagonal, roofed structure at one side of the nave. It was made of or covered with silver. The structure had doors and inside was a couch or bed. Unusually, it did not hold any physical relics of the saint. The ciborium seems to have been a symbolic tomb. It was rebuilt at least once.

The basilica is famous for six extant mosaic panels, dated to the period between the latest reconstruction and the inauguration of the Byzantine Iconoclasm in 730. These mosaics depict St. Demetrius with officials responsible for the restoration of the church (called the founders, ktetors) and with children. An inscription below one of the images glorifies heaven for saving the people of Thessalonica from a pagan Slavic raid in 615.

Thessaloniki became part of the Ottoman Empire in 1430. About 60 years later, during the reign of Bayezid II, the church was converted into a mosque, known as the Kasımiye Camii after the local Ottoman mayor, Cezeri Kasım Pasha. The symbolic tomb however was kept open for Christian veneration. Other magnificent mosaics, recorded as covering the church interior, were lost either during the four centuries when it functioned as a mosque (1493–1912) or in the Great Thessaloniki Fire of 1917 that destroyed much of the city. It also destroyed the roof and upper walls of the church. Black-and-white photographs and good watercolour versions give an idea of the early Byzantine craftsmanship lost during the fire.

Following the Great Fire of 1917, it took decades to restore the church. Tombstones from the city"s Jewish cemetery - destroyed by the Greek and Nazi German authorities - were used as building materials in these restoration efforts in the 1940s. Archeological excavations conducted in the 1930s and 1940s revealed interesting artifacts that may be seen in a museum situated inside the church"s crypt. The excavations also uncovered the ruins of a Roman bath, where St. Demetrius was said to have been held prisoner and executed. A Roman well was also discovered. Scholars believe this is where soldiers dropped the body of St. Demetrius after his execution. After restoration, the church was reconsecrated in 1949.

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