Austria - Burgenland

Schloss Esterhazy

A Karen Brown Recommendation

Continue straight into the town of Eisenstatt and stay on the same street until you come to the Schloss Esterhazy (if you cannot find a place to park, there is a parking garage across from the palace). The powerful princes of Esterhazy, who incidentally claimed descent from Attila the Hun, were an immensely wealthy, powerful family in Burgenland and Hungary, their holdings rivaling those of the emperor, and at times their wealth surpassed his. It was a popular concept for wealthy nobles to have their own court musician, and Haydn was hired to lead the musical life at Schloss Esterhazy. You must not miss the imposing Schloss Esterhazy: it is well worth a leisurely visit. Check with the tourist office before you leave home to try, if at all possible, to coincide your sightseeing with one of the concerts that are regularly performed here. If you miss a concert, another option is to time your visit with a short daytime musical performance. On a regularly scheduled basis, a group of musicians, dressed as they would have been in Haydn’s day, play chamber music. This is outstanding—if your timing coincides with this event, do not miss it. Take the tour of the castle itself, which has recently been restored to its original grandeur. Buy a pamphlet in English at the ticket desk so that you can appreciate what you see. There are excellent pieces of art, plus an ever-changing exhibition. When we last visited, there was an incredible display of personal belongings loaned to the museum by the Esterhazy family. Most memorable was a dining table exquisitely set with fantastic china, linens, and silver—as it would have been for a party given by the prince. You will see several of the rooms where Haydn worked, including the highlight of the tour, the Haydn-Saal, a huge concert hall decorated with 18th-century frescoes. It was here that Haydn entertained the Esterhazy family and their friends almost every evening, usually with his own masterful compositions. The family constantly desired new pieces, which motivated Haydn to compose a stream of superb music. In fact, he must have never had a moment to relax since new compositions were expected from him to celebrate every birthday and other special occasions. Haydn attributed the originality of his music to his isolation in Eisenstadt where he could not copy the stilted music so popular in Vienna.

Located along this Karen Brown Itinerary:

Music Wine & Castles

Traveler Reviews:
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Nearby Hotels and Bed & Breakfasts:
Listed Alphabetically, Not By Distance.

• Burg Bernstein
• Altstadt Vienna
• Hotel Römischer Kaiser
• Hotel Zur Wiener Staatsoper
• Romantik Hotel Szidónia Manor House