Balzers

The municipality of Balzers consists of the villages of Balzers and Mäls, between which lies Gutenberg Castle. The municipality also contains the noncontiguous alpine pastures of Guschgfiel, Matta, Gapfahl, and Güschgle; the first two are part of Balzers alpine cooperative (Alpgenossenschaft Balzers), while the last two are part of Mäls alpine cooperative (Alpgenossenschaft Mäls). The former alpine pasture of Zegerberg (now "Garsälli/Zegerberg" forest reserve) is also part of Balzers; it is owned by Bürgergemeinde (citizens' community) Balzers. To the west of Balzers is the Rhine river, where it borders the Wartau and Sargans municipalities of the Swiss canton of St. Gallen. To the south, Balzers borders the Fläsch and Maienfeld municipalities of the Swiss canton of Graubünden. To the north and east, Balzers borders the Liechtenstein municipality of Triesen.^[2][3]

The municipality and its residents own forest and pastureland in Graubünden, as well as the ruins of Grafenberg Castle [de]. Ellhorn mountain was part of Balzers until 1949, when it was ceded to Switzerland; in return Balzers received an equally sized area.^[2][4][5]

Historically, the present-day form of the village consists of two different villages, the actual Balzers in the east and Mäls in the west. Not visible to the unaware, the division still persists in the local village culture, where it manifests in half-serious local competition. Some customs, such as the "Funken", a springtime ritual with pre-Christian origins involving a huge bonfire, are still being practised by each separately.^{[citation needed]} The location was first mentioned in 842 as Palazoles.^[2] The name originates from Latin palatiola, meaning small palace.^[6]

Balzers is the home of the Gutenberg Castle, which was built around 1200 on a rocky hill between Balzers and Mäls. The castle belonged to the House of Habsburg from the 14th to the 19th century.^[2]

In 1799, during the War of the Second Coalition, French troops encamped in Balzers for 20 days. In October 1799, the Russian troops led by Alexander Suvorov marched through Balzers after his unsuccessful Swiss campaign.^[2]

Much to the dismay of Balzers' population, the strategically important Ellhorn mountain was ceded to Switzerland in 1949, in exchange for an equally sized area. To the south of Balzers is also the St. Luzisteig Pass, which contains a Swiss Army training area.^[2][5]

Balzers is locally administered by the mayor and a 11-person municipal council, elected every four years since 1975. The incumbent mayor is Karl Marlin, since 2023.^[2]

Last election

Further information: 2023 Liechtenstein local elections

More information Party, Votes ...

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Patriotic Union	10,408	55.07	6	+1
	Progressive Citizens' Party	6,593	34.88	4	–1
	Free List	1,899	10.05	1	0
Total		18,900	100.00	11	0
Valid votes		1,890	93.38
Invalid votes		70	3.46
Blank votes		64	3.16
Total votes		2,024	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		2,643	76.58
Source: Gemeindewahlen

Close

A ferry operated in Mäls until Balzers' first Rhine bridge was built out of wood in 1870–1871. A concrete bridge was built in 1967–1968. The wooden bridge burned down in 1972; in its place is now a concrete pedestrian bridge from 1975.^[2]

FC Balzers plays in Swiss 1. Liga. They play at the Sportplatz Rheinau, a stadium with a capacity of 2,000.^[9]

• Xaver Frick (1913 in Balzers – 2009) Olympic track and field athlete and cross-country skier. He competed in track sprinting events in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin and cross-country skiing at the 1948 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz. Frick is the only Liechtenstein athlete to date to have competed in both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. He was awarded a Golden Laurel in 2003 by the government of Liechtenstein for outstanding contributions to sport.
• Andrea Willi (born 1955), Minister of Foreign Affairs (1993–2001).
• Christine Wohlwend (born 1978), politician.