Liechtenstein National Day – August 15 – Liechtenstein

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

Liechtenstein National Day – People on the lawn in front of Vaduz Castle; Credit – https://www.staatsfeiertag.li/en

Background

On August 5, 1940, the Liechtenstein government officially declared August 15 as Liechtenstein National Day and the first celebration was ten days later. August 15 was already a bank holiday and the Roman Catholic feast day of the Assumption of Mary, celebrating the belief that the Virgin Mary was assumed body and soul into heaven following her death. In addition, August 16 was the birthday of Franz Josef II, the reigning Prince of Liechtenstein in 1940. After Prince Franz Josef II died in 1989 it was decided to keep the national holiday on August 15. In 1990 a law was passed establishing August 15 as the official national holiday of the Principality of Liechtenstein.

What happens on Liechtenstein National Day?

Members of the Princely Family at National Day in 2016 – Second from the left: Hereditary Princess Sophie, Hereditary Prince Alois, the late Princess Marie, wife of Hans-Adam II, and Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein

Many of the approximately 40,000 citizens of Liechtenstein attend the events held in Vaduz, the capital of Liechtenstein. At 11:30 AM a ceremony is held on the lawn in front of Vaduz Castle, during which Hereditary Prince Alois and the President of the Parliament make speeches.

A street in Vaduz on National Day in 2016. Note Vaduz Castle at the top of the hill; Credit – Hole in the Donut Cultural Travel

The speeches are followed by a reception in the rose garden at Vaduz Castle hosted by the Princely Family. It is open to the public free of charge but tickets must be obtained online. At 2:00 PM, a folk festival begins in the center of Vaduz. The streets are closed to traffic and booths, street vendors, and amusement rides are set up along the streets. At 9:15 PM, the bonfire is lit and there is a torchlight procession on the Fürstensteig, a mountain trail. At 10:00 PM, the celebrations end with spectacular fireworks over Vaduz Castle.

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Works Cited

  • Liechtenstein National Holiday. (n.d.). Tourismus.li. https://tourismus.li/en/activities/culture-and-art/customs-traditions/liechtenstein-national-holiday/
  • Celebrating Liechtenstein’s National Day on August 15! | Embassy of the Principality of Liechtenstein in Washington, D.C. (n.d.). Www.liechtensteinusa.org. Retrieved July 15, 2024, from https://www.liechtensteinusa.org/article/celebrating-liechtensteins-national-day-on-august-15
  • Staatsfeiertag. (n.d.). Www.staatsfeiertag.li. Retrieved July 15, 2024, from https://www.staatsfeiertag.li/en