Schaan combines a historic village walk with cultural evidence from several centuries and nature topics on Dux. The Schaan Cultural Trail illustrates the roots of the people of Schaan and important milestones in the community’s history as a historic and cultural village walk. It is easy to reach from the village centre by public transport. Local themes range from early Christian building history to crafts and livestock farming in the 19th century.
Dux: Views and Forest Through the Seasons
An observation tower 35 metres high stands on Dux above Schaan. From there, the view stretches across the Rhine Valley to Lake Constance. Also on Dux, the Fox Forest Adventure Trail introduces children and adults to the forest through the seasons with interactive activities. The two destinations offer different experiences: the tower opens up views of the landscape, while the trail focuses on the forest and its seasonal changes. Depending on your interests, you can choose between scenic views and interactive nature learning.
Building History at St. Peter’s Church
St. Peter’s Church brings together several early historical layers. It was built on the walls of a 4th-century fort and is considered the earliest evidence of Christianisation. A 5th-century baptistery is associated with the church. It was built in the fort’s northeast corner and is considered the oldest predecessor building of today’s church. A baptistery is a building used for baptisms; here, it belongs to the early construction phases of the church site. The church also preserves remnants of frescoes that were applied at the end of the 15th century and are still recognisable. The fort, baptistery and frescoes thus point to different periods in the history of the building and of faith.
Chapel, Former Church and Preserved Tower
The Maria zum Trost Chapel in the district of Dux is a rural example of Baroque sacred architecture. Another historical layer is represented by the tower of the former parish church of St. Laurentius in Schaan: it survived the church’s demolition in 1900 and is stylistically dated to the 12th century. The former parish church itself was a natural-stone building with a cruciform ground plan. The nave and transept each had a three-sided end. At St. Laurentius, the former church building and the preserved tower must be distinguished: the description of the ground plan applies to the demolished church.
Crafts and Former Livelihoods
Specki-Tend recalls the wheelwright’s craft, which produced wagons and tools for the farming community. It also recalls livestock farming, which was an essential livelihood for people in the 19th century. Crafts and agriculture thus complement the architectural evidence with another perspective on local history: alongside churches and towers, the work and livelihoods of earlier times also come into focus. Visitors interested in culture can explore a range of topics, from sacred architecture to the history of crafts and agriculture.
A Convenient Stop for E-Bikes
At Schaan Town Hall, the bicycle shelter has a free e-bike charging station with the most common charging cables. There is also a repair stand with a pump, as well as battery lockers where you can safely store your helmet for 24 hours. When planning a ride, you can take charging, repair facilities and the specified period of helmet storage at one location into account.
Discover more destinations: Schellenberg, Balzers.
Return to the main travel overview: Liechtenstein.
