The River Rhine in the Principality of Liechtenstein

The River Rhine has been the life blood and destroyer of Liechtenstein over the centuries. The untamed Rhine cost countless lives, with the first flood recorded in 1206 when the church in bordering Lustenau in modern Austria was washed away.

It has, however, also been the life blood of the country, providing security against the Swiss to the west, a highway to ferry goods around, and the flooding deposited fertile slits and loams onto the land, though only after destroying the season's crops.

Today, the Rhine is crossed by countless bridges and has become a playground for the locals during the summer months, with fires of drift wood cooking the Germanic sausages. The banks of the Rhine, being relatively level, provide an ideal road for skaters, cyclists and walkers all year round.