Interpex 12-14 Mar 1971 - Liechtenstein Philatelic Service Vaduz New York

The Principality of Liechtenstein has an area of 160 square kilometers, which makes it one of the smallest states in Europe. The princely residence presides high above the little town of Vaduz, which is the capital of the principality and has about 5,000 inhabitants. The medieval castle was upgraded in the 16th and 17th centuries. The people of Liechtenstein call their main town "Staedtle" or "LIttle Town" and their country "Laendle" or "Little Country". Considering the geographic size of the country, these diminutives are apt, but not at all so if one thinks of the history and importance of Vaduz as a financial center. For hundreds of years culinary specialties have been enjoyed in the Old Town, at the Loewen Inn, for example, which has been in existence since 1380. The Art Museum (Kunstmuseum) of Liechtenstein houses one of Europe's oldest private collections in a modern, prize-winning museum building. The Regional Museum showcases the history of the principality and a visit to the Stamp Museum is a must for every philatelist. Castle Vaduz is the emblem of Liechtenstein and the residence of the royal family.
Post Office and Stamp Museum - the stamps of the Principality of Liechtenstein are a must for philatelists.
Vaduz, the vineyard-girded village-capital of an independent country that is not quite three times the size of Manhattan, starts filling up around 10 A.M. every day when the tourist buses arrive. The visitors clamber out, stretch their legs, wander about Vaduz's two business streets, snap pictures of the 700-year-old gray castle that frowns on them from its steep, wooded rock, have a snack or a meal and mail stacks of postcards with Liechtenstein's pretty stamps. Some walk into the newly refurbished building of the State Art Collection to look at the masterpieces of Flemish landscape painting from Breughel to Rubens now on display there. In the afternoon most of Leichtenstein, lapses into the habitual quiet of the evening. But at that time in the hotel lobbies and restaurants there are people who are talking numbers - millions, maybe billions, of dollars or Swiss francs. The tiny principality with its 27,000 residents - one third of them foreigners - is the legal domicile of nearly twice as many holding companies, trusts and foundations. Most of these elusive entities are corporate shells with no other visible assets in Liechtenstein than letterheads in the drawers of some local lawyer.
This FDC shows three pretty stamps of Liechtenstein FDC - Interpex 1971. Issued on 12-14 Mar 1971. The cancellation on this FDC is that of Interpex 12-14 Mar 1971 - Liechtenstein Philatelic Service Vaduz New York. My friend Merja gave me this FDC.