Tall Towers and Medieval Minnesang – Castles and Fortresses on Postage Stamps

The Middle Ages have long shed their image as time of darkness and are today the subject of increasing interest. Among the most important symbols from this era are castles and fortresses.

Liechtenstein has five such fortified aristocratic residences. While Schalun Castle (also commonly known as the Wildschloss) as well as the Upper Castle and Lower Castle in Schellenberg are no more than ruins bearing witness to times gone by, Vaduz Castle and Gutenberg Castle were rebuilt at the beginning of the 20th century according to the stylistic principles of the Romanticism movement.

The Middle Ages also stand for a high form of art popular among the nobility known as Minnesang. These poetic songs on the traditions of courtly love are still read today and have lost none of their power.

Today, stamps too are considered a valuable form of art in their own right. This interest is reflected in the large number of stamps issued by Liechtenstein, with castles being a popular motif. With the exception of the Lower Castle in Schellenberg, all surviving castles in the Principality have been immortalized on official stamps. There have also been several stamps issued depicting scenes from the Codex Manesse, an illustrated medieval manuscript containing many Minnesang songs and poems.

It is this fascination with the Middle Ages which has at least in part contributed to the fact that stamps issued by Liechtenstein on the theme of castles and Minnesang are very popular and are still the subject of great interest among collectors today.