European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 28, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                I to Tab Ary land happily Ever after in Liechtenstein at right an onion domed Church adorns the Hillside in the town of Triesenberg. Above a sign Marks the principality s Border. Story and photographs by Scott a. Miller staff photographer childhood fairy tales often speak of faraway lands where mountains Pierce the sky places where princes Rule and and their subjects live happily. Tiny Liechtenstein is such a place. Its Prince lives in a Hillside Castle that overlooks Vaduz the capital. It is a prosperous land Lush and Green and the Alps Rise majestically from the Valley of the Rhine. The 62-Square-mile principality is nestled Between Austria and Switzerland. Its 11 communes or municipal districts Are tucked into strip of land about 15 Miles Long and up to five Miles wide. The country was created in 1719, when the county of Vaduz and the barony of Schellenberg were merged under the austrian House of Liechtenstein. It remained part of the holy roman Empire until 1806, when it joined Napoleon s confederation of the Rhine. From 1815 until 1866, it continued As an Independent state in the German confederation. In the mid-1800s, customs and currency unions closely linked Liechtenstein to Austria. In 1919, though Liechtenstein began forging new ties to Switzerland adopting its currency in 1921 and joining the Swiss in a customs Union in 1924. Those links Are still Strong today with the Swiss government representing the principality abroad and managing its postal Telephone and Telegraph services. It s about a 20-minute drive through the Rhine Valley from the northernmost commune Buggell to the capital. To the East of the main Highway Are breathtaking mountains visas with cows grazing in the Low Meadows. To the West is the Rhine River which forms the Border with Switzerland. Vaduz is the Home of 4,900 of Liechtenstein s 25,000 citizens. Its main Street is lined with Small shops restaurants hotels and Banks. Above the town is Schloss Vaduz the Royal residence that today is the Home of Prince Hans Adam ii. He became the ruler in november 1989 upon the death of his father Prince Franz Josef ii who had ruled for 51 years. Also in Vaduz Are the englander Haus which houses the Royal Art collection the National museum which has a Large collection of roman artefacts and the postal museum founded in 1930. Liechtenstein is famed for its artistic postage Stamps a so buy a stamp and a postcard and write to Tell someone about your visit to a fairy tale land. More information about the principality Contact the Liechtenstein Lal tourist office. Fl-9490 Vaduz Tel. 075-21443for National tourist 12 stripes Magazine Fune 28, 1990 clockwise it from top the Alps Rise above the Checkerboard Fields in the Valley of Liechtenstein the government building erected in 1909, in Vaduz one of the Dairy cows that fill the principality s pastures and Farmers huts along the lower Mountain slopes. June 28, 1990 stripes Magazine 13