Esterházy Castle (Schloss Esterházy)

Esterházy Castle Palace is a castle in Eisenstadt, the capital of the state of Burgenland, a former property of the Esterházy family.

Esterhazy Castle is the symbol of the city of Eisenstadt, attracting tourists from all over the world every year. Here you can plunge into the atmosphere of life of a representative of the ancient Hungarian princely family, walk through the luxurious palace halls, listen to a classical music concert in the very hall where the great Haydn once conducted, and after a promenade in the castle park, taste wines from the local cellars. Walk, admire, enjoy, but still do not forget that you are a guest, because the palace still belongs to the representatives of the Esterhazy family.

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Video: Esterhazy Castle

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History

The castle was erected at the turn of the 13th to 14th centuries and was a fortress built in the Gothic style. In the 15th century, the castle and the whole town came under the possession of the Habsburgs. In 1622 the castle was presented to Prince Nikolaus Esterhazy. The Esterházy family at that time had great influence over Eisenstadt and helped the Habsburgs control Hungary.

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In 1663-1675, the architect Carlo Martino Carione rebuilt the castle in the Baroque style. Subsequently, the palace was rebuilt more than once. In the XVIII century the castle was reconstructed, after which only the interior was changed. In the XIX century it was reconstructed, giving it neoclassical features. Until today, the castle has exactly the same appearance.

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During World War II, the palace building was badly damaged, and it was not until 1957 that restoration began, after which the castle was opened to the public as a national museum.

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Architecture

The castle is built around an inner courtyard and resembles the shape of a horseshoe. The façade of the castle is pastel-colored, which is decorated with busts of Hungarian kings and representatives of the Esterházy family.

There are only 6 halls and 200 rooms in Esterházy Castle. Once there was a baron’s hall on the first floor, now it has been converted into a concert hall or Haydn hall. This is where the famous Austrian composer Joseph Haydn lived and worked for a long time. The ceilings and walls of the hall are decorated with moldings, frescoes on the theme of ancient Greek myths, and portraits of Hungarian rulers. Half of the hall is made of wood in order to create better acoustics in the room.

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Another concert hall is the Imperial Hall, located in the southern part of the castle. The hall of mirrors, the Chinese hall, the chapel and the picturesque park located next to the castle are also very popular with tourists.

Many rooms of the palace are in different styles. For example, the Chinese hall appeared in the castle due to the creation of strong relations with China, and as a consequence is decorated in oriental style.

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How to get there

From Vienna to Eisenstadt, trains depart from the Südbahnhof station with a connection in Neusiedl am See or in Wulkaprodersdorf (travel time about 1 hour). Trains to Sopron depart from Vienna every hour, traveling via Wulkaprodersdorf.

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Buses No. 566 from Vienna to Eisenstadt depart from Südtirolererplatz (travel time 1 hour 15 minutes). Express buses to Eisenstadt take about an hour.

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Tourists

After walking around the palace, we recommend taking in the air in the lovely English-style castle park. Here you can admire many objects of small architectural forms: fountains, grottoes, sculptures.

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In Esterhazy there are constantly held concerts, balls and other festive events. For example, you can even celebrate a wedding here. Children’s parties are organized for children.