Attractions & Landmarks In Eisenstadt
Famous for its rich cultural and historical legacy, especially its connection to the great composer Joseph Haydn, Eisenstadt is the capital of Burgenland in eastern Austria. As you tour Eisenstadt’s main sites and attractions, lose yourself in the intriguing world of Haydn.
Known by many as the Church on the Hill, the majestic Bergkirche should be first on your list. The tomb of Haydn is housed in this 18th-century baroque masterpiece, which also has a museum devoted to his life and works. Admire the church’s magnificent organ, its sumptuous interior, and its expansive vista over the city and its environs. Daily hours for entrance to the Bergkirche are 9:00 to 17:00. Adults pay 5 euros, while minors pay 3 euros.
Go next to Esterházy Palace, also known as Schloss Esterházy. Originally, the powerful Esterházy family, who ruled over most of Austria and Hungary, lived in this magnificent castle. Take in the magnificent courtyard, the magnificent façade of the palace, and the art and history of the Esterházy dynasty housed in its many apartments. Miss the Haydnsaal, a music venue where Haydn himself gave many of his compositions for the Esterházy court. The admission price for adults is 12 euros, and for children it is 6 euros, and Schloss Esterházy is open everyday from 9:00 to 17:00.
See the Burgenland State Museum or Landesmuseum Burgenland for a more comprehensive grasp of the area’s past. The newest and tiniest state in Austria, Burgenland, is represented in this museum through its natural and cultural riches. See displays on history, folklore, art, geology, flora, and animals. There is a unique area of the museum devoted to Eisenstadt’s once-famous Jewish population. Landesmuseum Burgenland charges 8 euros for adults and 4 euros for kids to enter and is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:00 to 17:00.
See the Leopoldinentempel, also known as the Leopoldine Temple, a neoclassical structure built in 1797 in memory of Empress Maria Leopoldine. Within the lovely Schlosspark, which encircles the Esterházy Palace, is this circular temple with its domed top and four columns.
Esterházy Palace
A well-known sight in Eisenstadt, the Esterházy Palace is a baroque architectural wonder with a long history that began in the 14th century when the Kanizsai family built it. In the seventeenth century, Count Nikolaus Esterházy came to rule Eisenstadt, and in 1647 he finally took possession of the stronghold. The stronghold changed into a magnificent palace during the rule of Paul I, the first Prince Esterházy, whose architectural style was adapted to the current fashion.
A magnificent example of baroque architecture, the Esterházy Palace in Eisenstadt also bears evidence to the illustrious history of the Esterházy family, one of the most powerful aristocratic families in Central Europe. For almost 300 years, the family’s principal home and the hub of their political, economic, and cultural interests was the palace. It was also where Viennese Classical master Joseph Haydn spent nearly forty years serving as the court composer and conductor.
Esterházy Palace has its roots in a fortress from the thirteenth century that the Esterházy family purchased in 1649. Paul I Esterházy ordered Carlo Martino Carlone and Filiberto Lucchese to develop and carry out the project that turned the fortress into a baroque palace in the second half of the 17th century. There was a huge hall, two onion-shaped towers, and a wreath of parallel chambers added to the palace. Along with a theater and a chapel, the palace had an amazing garden.
The palace saw additional restorations in the eighteenth century, mostly to the interior design. Most notably, Nikolaus I Esterházy commissioned French architect Antoine Martin to design the renowned Haydnsaal, a Joseph Haydn-named music hall. The hall’s exquisite stucco work, frescoes, chandeliers, and mirrors are regarded as among of Austria’s best examples of rococo style. Excellent acoustics allow the hall to be used for musical events until now.
Neoclassical reconstruction of the palace was planned by Nikolaus II Esterházy in the early 19th century, based on the plans of architect Charles Moreau. The renovation was never finished, though, and just a few portions of the entrance hall and facade were altered because of budgetary constraints.Up until relatively little repairs in the late 19th century, the palace remained mostly unaltered.
The palace was included into the recently established Republic of Austria following the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918. Up to 1955, when they leased it to the Burgenland government, the Esterházy family owned the palace. The Esterházy Private Foundation acquired the palace in 2010, and it now oversees its cultural and tourist operations. Open to the public, the palace presents events, concerts, exhibitions, and guided tours. There is a museum, a wine store, and a boutique within the palace as well.
Anybody visiting Eisenstadt or the surrounding area should not miss seeing Esterházy Palace. In a tasteful and harmonic manner, history, art, and music coexist there. Visitors may take in the cultural activities of the palace, study about the intriguing lives of the Esterházy family and Joseph Haydn, and marvel at the grandeur of baroque architecture.
Palace Park
The Palace Park – Eisenstadt, Austria Travel Guide
One of the greatest 19th-century landscaped gardens is Palace Park. About 50 hectares in size, it constitutes the northern boundary of the city and extends all the way to Bergstrasse before rising into the Leitha Mountains. Uncountable exotic trees and shrubs surround the four ponds in the park—Leopoldine, Obelisk, Herzerl, and Engine. Among the other structures and monuments in the park are the Haydn Mausoleum, the Orangery, the Calvary, and the Leopoldine Temple.
Erected just above the Leopoldine pond, Moreau constructed the circular Leopoldine Temple in 1806, complete with columns in the Egyptian style. Within the shrine stands the statue of “Leopoldine,” created in 1805 by renowned Italian sculptor Antonio Canova. Prince Nikolaus Esterházy ordered construction of the temple as a present for Princess Maria Leopoldine, his wife. The shrine represents the prince’s love and commitment to his 29-year-old wife who passed away in 1806.
A collection of unusual plants and flowers is housed in the 1770-built Orangery, a large structure with a glass top. The Esterházy family used the Orangery for amusement and relaxation as well as a winter garden. A little museum housed in the Orangery also features some of the original paintings and furniture from the palace.
Constructed in 1718, the Calvary is a collection of fourteen chapels representing the Stations of the Cross. The chapels are set out along a meandering walkway that ascends to a summit with a chapel honoring the Holy Sepulchre and a huge cross. The Esterházy family frequently paid pilgrimages to the Calvary during Lent and Easter, as did the locals.
Constructed in 1932, the Haydn Mausoleum honors the more than 40-year career of composer Joseph Haydn with the Esterházy household. In 1820 Haydn’s bones were moved from Vienna to Eisenstadt and interred in the Bergkirche, a church close to the palace. But the Esterházy family chose to erect a mausoleum for Haydn in Palace Park, where his grave is presently situated, in 1932. Inscribed, “To the eternal master of music, Joseph Haydn, the grateful Esterházy family,” the mausoleum is a straightforward stone construction with a bronze bust of Haydn.
The history and beauty of Eisenstadt can be enjoyed at the lovely and tranquil Palace Park. Year-round public admission to the park includes guided tours, concerts, exhibitions, and events. The park also forms a portion of the spectacular Baroque Esterházy Palace, which has a concert auditorium, gallery, and museum.
The City Hall
Eisenstadt town hall has a long history, having undergone major renovations in 1648 when the city was granted royal free-trade status. The diamond-shaped ashlar gateway in the architectural base points to an early Renaissance beginning.
The town hall was a one-story building before baroque modifications added a big attic and two circular oriels on the sides and a rectangle oriel in the middle. Rudolf Holzinger completed missing photos and converted paintings found in 1926—possibly from the early Renaissance—to baroque standards in 1949.
Within the town hall are allegorical paintings that represent values including justice, charity, faith, hope, strength, and moderation. Biblical images that represent judicial wisdom, love for one’s country, and the quest of knowledge are painted on the right side of the middle oriel.
In the rectangular oriel are the Eisenstadt coat of arms and a sundial. The vestibule of the town hall was fitted with a Renaissance ceiling in the 17th century, and the interior has had multiple renovations, most notably in 1939–1940 and 1959.
Major reconstruction work between 1999 and 2001 involved demolishing 1950s buildings and building a more modern complex, with the old building being preserved and restored as an essential component of the new design.
Gloriette
Perched atop a hill, the Gloriette is a neoclassical temple that commands a view of the Esterhazy family’s Schloss Esterhazy, one of the most powerful noble houses in Austria and Hungary. Architect Charles de Moreau, who also created the castle and its gardens, constructed the Gloriette in 1805. The Marien Temple was the original name of the Gloriette, after Princess Maria Hermenegild Esterhazy, the wife of Prince Nikolaus II Esterhazy, who ordered the structure as a present for her. But soon the temple was referred to as the Gloriette, a French term for a little decorative structure in a park or garden.
Eight columns support the portico and dome of the circular Gloriette. Maria is shown holding a cross atop the portico, which faces the palace. Furthermore on the dome is a lantern with a crucifix. Within the Gloriette is a circular hall with a marble floor and a ceiling covered with frescoes that represent the four seasons. The four cardinal virtues—prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance—are represented in statues in four niches throughout the hall. Four windows in the hall also provide a broad perspective of the surroundings.
The Esterhazy family and their visitors were supposed to use the Gloriette for prayer and meditation. Because the Esterhazys were arts patrons and particularly of composer Joseph Haydn, who worked for them for more than 40 years, it was also utilized for musical and cultural events. Poets and academics read and gave talks at the Gloriette in addition to Haydn and other musicians performing at multiple concerts.
Austrian neoclassical architecture is best shown by the Gloriette, a singular and stunning specimen. It is evidence of the Esterhazy family’s history and culture as well as their influence on Eisenstadt’s and the surrounding area’s growth. It’s also where guests may take in the music and artwork of Haydn and other Esterhazy-influenced artists. A tranquil and romantic setting together with a breathtaking view of Schloss Esterhazy and the surrounding countryside are features of the Gloriette. Anybody visiting Eisenstadt and want to enjoy its charm and history should not miss the Gloriette.
Jewish Quarter and The old Jewish Cemetery
- Jewish Quarter: Eisenstadt’s Jewish quarter began in the thirteenth century when the local lords bestowed upon Jews rights and protection. The neighborhood was close to the accommodating and encouraging Esterházy family’s palace. Along with various homes and businesses, the quarter included a school, a synagogue, and a ritual bath. While the Nazis demolished the area in 1938, several of the structures have been repaired and converted into museums. The Austrian Jewish Museum is one of them; it displays the background and customs of the Jews in Austria and Burgenland. An other is the Haydn House, where the esteemed composer Joseph Haydn resided and worked for the Esterházy family. Composing many works for the Jewish community, including the Cantata for the New Synagogue’s Inauguration in 1796, Haydn maintained a close contact with them.
- The Old Jewish Cemetery: Among the oldest and most significant Jewish cemeteries in Europe is the Eisenstadt ancient Jewish cemetery. It came to be in 1679 when the Esterházy family gave the Jews a plot of property beyond the city limits. Almost a thousand graves in the cemetery have ornate tombstones and inscriptions. Among the most well-known rabbis and academics of the Jewish Enlightenment are buried in the cemetery: Samson Wertheimer, Meir Eisenstadt, and Akiva Eger. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the cemetery is a destination for many Jews from all over the world. Visitors are welcome, and guided tours are offered.
Haydn's Herb Garden
Outside the city walls, close to the hospital, sits Haydn’s Herb Garden. Originally, Haydn acquired the little plot of property in 1766 together with his city center home. Turning the area into a flower and herb garden, Haydn would come to unwind and write. On the property he also constructed a wooden cottage that functioned as both his studio and vacation home.
After Haydn died in 1809, the hut and garden were abandoned and subsequently destroyed in the 19th century. But in 1994 the Haydn-Haus Eisenstadt, a museum honoring Haydn’s life and work, made the decision to rebuild the garden and the hut using historical records and archeological discoveries. 2009 saw the completion of the project to mark Haydn’s 200th anniversary of death.
Weather permitting, the public is welcome to see the rebuilt garden and cottage from June to September. Roses, lavender, sage, mint, and chamomile are among the prominent plants in the garden that Haydn knew in his day. As well as Haydn’s own tastes and culinary creations, visitors can discover the therapeutic and culinary applications of these plants. Among the personal items and papers of Haydn are a reproduction of his piano in the hut.
The distinctive Haydn Herb Garden provides an insight into the personal life and creative process of one of the greatest composers of all time. It is also a lovely and tranquil spot to take in the splendor and aroma of the natural world. This is a chance that history and music lovers should not pass up to tour Haydn’s herb garden and cottage in Eisenstadt.
Haydn House
Haydn started working for one of the most influential and prosperous aristocratic families in the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1761: the Esterházy family. Great arts supporters, the Esterházys gave Haydn a secure and cozy job as their court composer and conductor. Over his nearly thirty-year career with the Esterházys, Haydn wrote a great deal of music for them, including operas, chamber works, symphonies, and holy pieces. Along the way, he visited other homes, including the opulent Esterházy Palace in Eisenstadt and the isolated Eszterháza Castle in Hungary.
The Esterházy family’s seat, Eisenstadt served as Haydn’s primary home from 1766 until 1778. Haydn purchased a home in Eisenstadt in 1766 at what is today known as 21 Haydngasse. Living there was him and Maria Anna Keller, his 1760 bride. There was little in common and no children, therefore the marriage was not joyful. Haydn had multiple encounters with different ladies and was frequently gone from home. All the same, he lived in Eisenstadt till his death and made frequent trips back there in his latter years.
Haydn wrote several of his most well-known and acclaimed pieces, including the “Mariazellermesse,” the “Sturm und Drang” symphonies, the “Sun” quartets, and the “Farewell” symphony, in the Eisenstadt home. There he also had a lot of visits, including friends, coworkers, pupils, fans, and even kings. For instance, in 1773 he entertained the Empress Maria Theresa and her family, who had come to Eisenstadt to see his opera “L’infedeltà delusa.” Playing on his fortepiano, Haydn enthralled them with both his charm and his music.
Now a museum, the Eisenstadt home honors and showcases Haydn’s legacy. The museum was founded in 1932, the year Haydn turned 200. In 2009, the 200th anniversary of Haydn’s death, it underwent renovations and expansion. The bedroom, study, music room and kitchen of Haydn are among the rooms at the museum that have been furnished and decorated exactly as they were in his day. Along with numerous actual items and papers that belonged to Haydn, the museum also displays his death mask, instruments, manuscripts, correspondence, and personal effects. A deeper and more comprehensive knowledge of Haydn’s life, work, and influence is provided to visitors by the museum’s interactive displays, audiovisual tours, and special events.
A major and well-liked cultural landmark in Eisenstadt, the Haydn House welcomes thousands of tourists annually. Anyone that enjoys art, history, or music should definitely visit this place. There, one may sense Haydn’s presence and soul and understand his brilliance and legacy. It’s a place to be inspired by Haydn’s inventiveness and humanity as well as to experience the beauty and delight of his music.
The Haydn Mausoleum
Situated behind the north tower of the Bergkirche, sometimes referred to as the Haydn Church, is the Haydn Mausoleum. Patron of Haydn and his orchestra, Prince Paul Esterházy, erected the Bergkirche in the early eighteenth century. Richly ornamented inside and a beautiful organ make the church a baroque masterpiece. The church also often presents Haydn-themed festivals and performances.
The Haydn Mausoleum was built in 1954 when Haydn’s remains were at last moved from Vienna to Eisenstadt. At 77 years old, Haydn passed away in 1809 and was buried in a modest tomb in Vienna. But grave thieves soon disturbed his remains, taking his skull and selling it to a phrenologist—a pseudoscientist who said he studied the anatomy of the human head. The skull was thereafter handed down from collector to collector until 1954, when it was at last returned to the Esterházy family.
Haydn had lived the bulk of his life at Eisenstadt, where the Esterházy family chose to erect a mausoleum in his honor. They had artist Géza Horváth build Haydn’s bronze sarcophagus, which was positioned in a marble chamber beneath the church tower. Scenes from Haydn’s operas, symphonies, and oratorios are included into the sarcophagic depiction of his life and accomplishments. The original skull of Haydn is also housed in the mausoleum; it was reunited with his remains 145 years ago.
Thousands of music enthusiasts travel from all over the world to pay their respects to the father of the symphony and the string quartet at the Haydn Mausoleum, a respectable and moving place of interment. From April until December, the mausoleum is open to the public; the hours of operation vary according to the season. Children pay 1.5 euros and adults pay 3 euros to enter. A guided tour of Eisenstadt’s sites and monuments connected to Haydn’s life and work includes the mausoleum as part of the Haydn Trail.
Haydn Church
The Haydn Church, sometimes referred to as the Bergkirche or the Church of the Visitation, is among Eisenstadt’s principal sights and monuments. Haydn’s patron Prince Paul Esterházy constructed this magnificent specimen of Baroque architecture in the early eighteenth century. Haydn is buried at the church as well; his mausoleum is beneath the north tower. Worth delving into in-depth are the church’s exquisite interior and fascinating past.
The History of the Haydn Church
Originally intended to be a magnificent house of worship, political and financial challenges meant that only the presbytery of the church was finished. Two years following the death of Prince Paul Esterházy, who had intended the church to be a Virgin Mary pilgrimage site, work on it started in 1715. After contracting the plague in 1713, the prince promised to construct a church should he live, but he died before the groundbreaking. Following in his father’s footsteps, Prince Joseph engaged Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt, the architect of Vienna’s Belvedere Palace. Although Hildebrandt intended a stunning church with a dome, four towers, and a lengthy nave, by 1722 only the presbytery and the two towers had been constructed. The War of the Austrian Succession broke out and financial constraints forced a stop to the building. Up to 1803, the Esterházy family chose to finish the roof and facade of the church. In 1804 the church was dedicated to the historical event known as the Visitation of Mary, when Mary paid a visit to her cousin Elizabeth, who was carrying John the Baptist.
The Interior of the Haydn Church
The Haydn Church is furnished with paintings, sculptures, and murals that show different episodes from Mary and Jesus’ life. Installed in 1797, the high altar has a reproduction of a work by renowned late Baroque Austrian painter Martin Johann Schmidt, often known as Kremser Schmidt. The Holy Spirit descends upon Mary and Elizabeth during their Visitation as depicted in the picture. Four saint statues—Peter, Paul, John the Baptist, and John the Evangelist—as well adorn the altar. Painted in 1722 by Wolfgang and Christian Köpp, the ceiling painting above the altar depicts the Ascension of Christ surrounded by angels and apostles. The 19th-century side altars have paintings of the Annunciation, the Nativity, the Presentation, and the Assumption of Mary. In the church is also a gallery housing the renowned organ that Haydn once played. Johann Georg Deutschmann constructed the 1,200 pipe organ with 22 registers in 1770. Several of the masses Haydn wrote and led for the church were first played on the organ. The Esterházy family used to attend the services from the choir loft of the church.
The Haydn Mausoleum and the Calvary
Joseph Haydn, who spent almost 40 years employed by the Esterházy family, is also buried at the Haydn Church. Haydn died in Vienna in 1809, but the Napoleonic Wars and the meddling of a phrenologist—who took Haydn’s skull and replaced it with a fake—meant that his remains were not moved to Eisenstadt until 1820. The skull was not found until 1954, when it was put in a marble coffin beneath the church’s north tower in the Haydn Mausoleum together with the rest of Haydn’s bones. Joseph Haydn 1732–1809 is engraved on a plaque in the modest and somber mausoleum. Every year thousands of music fans visit the mausoleum, which is available to the public. Within a side chapel adjacent to the mausoleum is a bronze bust of Haydn by sculptor Viktor Tilgner. Replica of the original bust housed in the Haydn House in Eisenstadt, it was given by the Haydn Society of Vienna in 1896. In the chapel is also a stained glass window that shows Haydn playing the organ surrounded by angels and musical instruments.
A further feature of the Haydn Church is the Calvary, a group of little chapels, grottos, and niches that depict the Passion of Christ. Sculptor Johann Baptist Straub, who also worked on the Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, constructed the Calvary between 1725 and 1735. With 14 stations, the Calvary depicts events from Jesus’ final hours, including the Last Supper, the Garden Agony, the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection. Life-size statues of Jesus, Mary, the apostles, and other characters adorn the sandstone stations. Pilgrims and tourists flock to the Calvary to walk the route and reflect on the Passion events.
The museum of the Diocese
Situated inside the grounds of the 17th-century Franciscan monastery lies the Diocese of Eisenstadt museum. Bishop Stefan László founded the museum in 1980 with the intention of protecting and presenting Burgenland’s rich ecclesiastical legacy. Religious prints from several eras and styles, sculptures, paintings, paraments, liturgical artifacts, and devotional items make up the museum’s collection. All year long, the museum also presents cultural events and temporary exhibits.
Highlights of the Collection
Different facets of Burgenland church history and art are displayed in several rooms of the Diocese of Eisenstadt museum. The following stand out in the collection:
- The Romanesque Room, with its crucifix, Madonna and Child, and baptismal font stone sculptures and reliefs from the twelfth and thirteenth centuries.
- The 14th and 15th century wooden sculptures and paintings in the Gothic Room include a Pietà, a St. George, and a St. Catherine.
- In the Baroque Room are portraits of bishops and abbots together with elaborate paraments, chalices, monstrances, and reliquaries from the 17th and 18th centuries.
- In the Rococo Room are exquisite porcelain figures, snuff boxes, and eighteenth-century miniatures together with a silver ciborium and a unique ivory crucifix.
- The Biedermeier Room has early 19th-century paintings, furniture, and glassware in addition to a Napoleonic coin and medal collection.
- The historicism room houses artwork, sculptures, and ceramics from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including a bust of Emperor Franz Joseph, a vase bearing Pope Leo XIII’s picture, and a ceramic tile showing the Last Supper.
- The Modern Room features pieces by Burgundian contemporary artists such Alfred Wickenburg, Rudolf Szyszkowitz, and Josef Mikl.
Opening Hours and Admission
Opening hours for the Diocese of Eisenstadt museum are 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays and public holidays are off days at the museum. Adult entrance is 5 euros; senior and student admission is 3 euros; and children under 14 enter free. Requested guided tours are available.
The regional Fire Fighter´s Museum
Constructed in 1903, the Eisenstadt fire station was the volunteer fire brigade’s headquarters until 1995, when it was converted into the regional Fire Fighter’s Museum. A reconstructed 1928 fire engine is among the vintage firefighting apparatus, uniforms, records, and photos on display at the museum. An exhibition on the evolution of Burgenland firefighting from the earliest bucket brigades and hand pumps to the present methods and technology is also housed at the museum. The museum is open from 10:00 to 16:00 on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from April to October.
The area Fire Fighter’s Museum is a venue for both present experiences and historical education. As well as special events and activities for schools and groups, the museum provides guided tours, demonstrations, and workshops for guests of all ages. In addition, the museum presents the yearly Fire Fighter’s Festival, which draws thousands of guests with live music, food, beverages, and entertainment over the first weekend of July. The procession of firefighting vehicles, which demonstrates the variety and development of Burgenland firefighting, is the festival’s high point.
The area Fire Fighters Museum in Eisenstadt is a terrific option if you’re seeking for an unusual and educational attraction. Along with viewing the intriguing displays and antiques, you will hear the tales and anecdotes of the firemen who devoted their life to defending the city and its citizens. A reminder of the significance and worth of their job, the museum pays homage to the bravery, talent, and enthusiasm of the Burgenland firefighting community.
Austrian Jewish Museum in Eisenstadt
Located in Eisenstadt, the Austrian Jewish Museum was established in 1972 by Kurt Schubert, a Catholic University of Vienna professor of Judaic studies. In Palais Samson Wertheimer, in the former Jewish neighborhood close to Palace Esterházy, the museum was the first to open in Austria following 1945.
The museum exhibits the Middle Ages to the present history and way of life of the Jewish population in Eisenstadt and Burgenland. It also highlights the contributions of well-known Jewish people including Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern Zionism, who was born in Budapest but spent his early years in Eisenstadt; Joseph Haydn, a well-known composer who was influenced by Jewish music and had Jewish patrons; and Samson Wertheimer, a wealthy banker and rabbi who served the imperial court in Vienna and the Hungarian state.
Among the few synagogues in the German-speaking region that survived the Nazi era is the tiny synagogue that belonged to Samson Wertheimer and is now at the museum. Women have their own section of the synagogue, which contains exquisite Baroque interior decorations including paintings and inscriptions. The two Jewish cemeteries in Eisenstadt, where many prominent Jewish figures are buried, including the wealthy merchants and benefactors Wolf family and the well-known rabbi and scholar Maharam Schick, are also open for guided visits by the museum.
Discover the rich and varied Jewish history of Eisenstadt and Burgenland at the intriguing and educational Austrian Jewish Museum. Open from 10 a.m. on Tuesday through Friday and on Sundays. to 5 p.m.; adults pay 8 euros, students and seniors pay 6 euros, and kids under 14 go free. All year long, the museum also plans a number of activities, including talks, concerts, and exhibitions.
Regional Museum Of Burgenland
The primary museum in Burgenland, it was established in 1894. It addresses a number of facets of Burgenland’s and Pannonia’s surrounding, formerly Roman-ruled territory’s historical and cultural development. Five departments comprise the museum: Ethnology, Art History, Biology, Geology, and Archaeology. A collection of objects, artifacts, paintings, sculptures, and records that highlight the variety and individuality of the area are on show in each category.
Stone tools, pottery, coinage, jewellery and weaponry from the Paleolithic to the Early Middle Ages are among the items housed at the Archaeology department. A Celtic chariot burial, a Roman mosaic floor and a medieval silver coin trove are a few of the highlights. Exhibits on birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, insects, and plants highlight the flora and wildlife of Burgenland in the Biology department. The Geology department exhibits the area’s geological past together with fossils, minerals, rocks, and meteorites. The Esterházy family, the most powerful supporters of art and culture in Burgenland, is highlighted in the works of art on display in the Art History department, which spans the 15th to the 20th centuries. Through exhibits of folk art, clothing, crafts, customs, and traditions, the Ethnology department delves into the social and cultural life of the Burgenland people.
Temporary exhibitions, events, talks, seminars, and symposia on a range of regional subjects are also arranged by the Burgenland Regional Museum. A sizable courtyard with a glass roof that opens out to the sky at the museum gives guests a comfortable environment. Along with the shop and cafe, the museum has a library.
Tuesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends and holidays). Adult entrance is eight euros; senior and student admission costs six euros; and children under fourteen enter free. Group and school programs are available, as are audio guides and guided tours of the museum. One may get to the museum by vehicle, bike, or public transportation. Anyone curious in the history, culture, and environment of Burgenland and Pannonia should not miss the museum.
Wine Museum
Tucked away in the underground vaults of the Esterhazy Palace, the Wine Museum is one of Eisenstadt’s most well-liked attractions. Showcasing over 700 items connected to the history and customs of Burgenland viticulture, the Wine Museum is the biggest of its kind in Austria.
- Containing up to 56,000 liters of wine, the biggest preserved wine barrel in Burgenland.
- Burgenland’s oldest Baumpresse, an 18th-century variant of Austrian basket wine press.
- An assortment of wine glasses, corkscrews, and other accoutrements from many eras and locales.
- An exhibition of the whole wine-making process, from grape growing to fermentation and aging.
- A multimedia presentation about the wine business activities of the Esterhazy family and the significance of wine in their social and cultural lives.
Open Tuesday through Sunday, the Wine Museum charges 10 euros for adults and 5 euros for kids. An included guided tour of the museum is another benefit for visitors. About an hour long, the tour offers further information and anecdotes about the displays. In addition, the Wine Museum provides advance-booked wine tastings and seminars for both individuals and groups.
One of Eisenstadt’s must-see attractions if you’re curious about Burgenland’s wine culture and history. Together with learning about the intriguing background and customs of viticulture, you will get to sample some of the best wines produced in the area.
St. Martins Cathedral
Among the oldest and most well-known structures in Eisenstadt, the capital of the Austrian state of Burgenland, is St. Martins Cathedral. From a distance, one can see the cathedral’s characteristic tower with its hip roof and corner turrets, which is perched on a hill above the city core.
The cathedral’s history began in the thirteenth century when a record from 1264 first described a chapel devoted to Saint Martin. Part of a walled complex, the chapel belonged to the Eisenstadt rulers, who subsequently became the counts of Esterházy. Over the ages, the chapel underwent multiple expansions and rebuilds to accommodate the shifting demands and trends of the day.
The current look of the cathedral is mostly the outcome of extensive restorations carried out by Hans Siebenhirter, the lord of lien in Eisenstadt, in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. He ordered the building of a four-story tower to the north, a choir with a polygonal apse, and a long nave with a vaulted ceiling. Completing in 1520, the tower is regarded as one of Burgenland’s best specimens of late Gothic building. But budgetary constraints and the start of the Reformation meant that the south tower was never completed.
The Ottoman wars and the 1589 fire, which brought the nave to collapse, seriously damaged the cathedral. Not until 1628–1629 was it rebuilt thanks to sponsorship from the Esterházy family, who had purchased Eisenstadt in 1622. Consecrated again in 1634, the cathedral became Eisenstadt’s parish church. Rich furnishings and artworks, such the pulpit, organ, main altar, and Michael Angelo Unterberger’s paintings, were also donated to the cathedral by the Esterházy dynasty.
Further expansions and changes to the cathedral occurred in the 18th and 19th centuries. These included the building of a crypt beneath the presbytery in 1716, the installation of stained glass windows in the choir in 1904, and the creation of a family chapel and a sacristy. Important occasions that the cathedral saw were the 1713 funeral of Prince Paul Esterházy, the 1807 debut of Beethoven’s Mass in C, and the 1898 visit of Emperor Franz Joseph I.
The parish church in Eisenstadt was made a cathedral by Pope John XXIII in 1960. The bishop’s office and the hub of Burgenland’s Catholic community moved into the cathedral. The cathedral was extensively restored in the 20th and 21st centuries, most notably in 1952, 2002–03, and 2015–16. Artist Brigitte Kowanz created the modern furniture, combining color and light to provide a harmonious and modern ambiance.
The Franciscan church and monastery
History
The archbishop Johann Kanizsai, the chancellor of King Sigismund of Hungary, established the Franciscan church and convent about 1386. Serving as Eisenstadt’s parish church, the building was devoted to the archangel Michael. At Vienna’s first siege in 1529, the Ottoman invaders demolished the church. It lay in ruin for over a century when Eisenstadt’s owner, Count Nikolaus Esterházy, chose to rebuild it in 1629 following the triumphant Siege of Lackenbach against the Turks. He gave the church to the Franciscan order, who in 1625 had founded a convent at Eisenstadt. Consecrated in 1630, the church served as Burgenland’s Franciscan mission headquarters.
In the ensuing decades, the church saw a number of modifications and alterations that reflected the shifting requirements and preferences of both the friars and the public. The church was expanded in 1660 with the construction of a sacristy and two side chapels. At Vienna’s second siege in 1683, the Ottoman forces once more caused damage to the chapel. Italian painters created the elaborate stucco work and frescoes that were part of its baroque restoration and redecoration. The rococo pulpit with its sculpture of St. Francis addressing the birds and fish was added in 1752. The acclaimed composer and court musician Joseph Haydn used the newly installed organ in 1765. The Esterházy dynasty’s members were interred in the princely crypt, which was added to the monastery’s east wing in 1856. The crypt is a two aisle, nave, neo-gothic column hall. Renovated in the neo-gothic style in 1897, the church had new altar and stained glass windows. Opening on the second level of the monastery in 1981, the diocese museum features a collection of holy objects and artworks.
Architecture
One outstanding illustration of the blending of several architectural forms and influences is the Franciscan church and monastery at Eisenstadt. Rectangular in shape, the church includes two side chapels and a single nave. The nave is divided into four bays by pilasters that hold a lunette-adorned barrel vault above. Fréscoes illustrating events from St. Francis’s life and the Franciscan order’s history adorn the crypt. The apse, home to the main altar, includes a semi-dome containing a Last Judgment mural. Painting depicting the archangel Michael vanquishing the devil adorns the marble and wood altar. Side chapels honoring St. Anthony of Padua and St. John of Nepomuk have altars with saintly statues and paintings. Beneath the principal altar lies the sacristy, a wooden cabinet housing garments and relics.
The church has a side entrance on the south facade and a main one on the west front. Three portions of the west facade, corresponding to the nave and the side chapels, are separated by pilasters. A triangular pediment in the centre part bears the Esterházy family coat of arms. Two angels flank a statue of St. Michael above the pediment. Three windows on the facade also light the nave. The monastery cloister is reached through a round arch gateway on the south facade.
Four wings make up the monastery; they encircle a rectangular courtyard. There’s a well on the north side of the courtyard and a fountain in the centre. Arcades surrounded by capital-topped columns support the cloister on all four sides. Saints and events from Franciscan history are painted onto the cloister walls. Among the rooms of the monastery are the chapter house, the dormitory, the library, and the refectory. The diocese museum is the most famous space and features a variety of religious artifacts and works of art, including books, manuscripts, paintings, and liturgical items. Along with his portrait, violin, and scores, the museum also houses a collection of Haydn memorabilia. The Esterházy dynasty members are buried in the princely vault located in the east wing of the monastery. The crypt is fashioned as a two aisle, nave neo-gothic column hall. Coats of arms and inscriptions are adorned the ribbed vault of the nave. There are sarcophagi and epitaphs of the Esterházy princes and princesses in the arched niches of the aisles.
Significance
There are various reasons why the Franciscan church and monastery in Eisenstadt is an important landmark and attraction. It is firstly a monument to Eisenstadt’s past and culture as well as its ties to the centuries-long Esterházy dynasty. The Esterházy princes, who backed the Catholic faith and the Franciscan order in the area, are reflected in the cathedral and the monastery. From the gothic to the neo-gothic, the renaissance to the rococo, the baroque to the classical, the church and the monastery also exhibit the influence of many artistic and architectural styles and eras. The church and the monastery are examples of the inventiveness and talents of many artists and craftspeople who worked on the interior design and building restoration.
Second, the Franciscan friars and the neighborhood people use the church and the monastery as places of spirituality and worship. The focus of the Franciscan mission in Burgenland is the church and the monastery, which seeks to disseminate the gospel and the principles of St. Francis, such humility, poverty, and peace. The friars and the faithful may perform the sacraments and the liturgy, worship the relics and the icons of the saints, and pray and meditate in the church and the monastery. A destination of pilgrimage and devotion, the church and the monastery allow guests to feel the presence and grace of God as well as to appreciate the beauty and purity of the structures.
Thirdly, for those who enjoy music and art, the church and the monastery provide both instruction and inspiration. The visitors can view and value the wealth of creative and musical legacy housed in the cathedral and the monastery. Different paintings, sculptures, frescoes, stucco work, stained glass windows, altars, organs, and other artworks that reflect the artistic expression and aesthetic taste of many eras and styles may be found in the church and the monastery. The esterházy family’s court musician and renowned composer Joseph Haydn is closely associated with the church and the monastery. Haydn wrote numerous pieces for both locations. Some of his belongings, including his violin, his portrait, and his compositions, are on show at the diocese museum. The church and the monastery also honor Eisenstadt’s musical heritage and cultural legacy with concerts and festivals that include Haydn and other composers’ works.
The Church of St. John of God's Brothers
Prince Paul I Esterházy, a devoted member of the Catholic religious order Order of St. John of God, which serves the sick and the impoverished, constructed the Church of St. John of God’s Brothers in the eighteenth century. Known Austrian architect Anton Erhard Martinelli, who also designed the Bergkirche and the Esterházy Palace, created the church. Richly ornamented on the front with a dome that towers over Eisenstadt’s skyline, the church is built in the baroque style. The church has an equally striking interior with a choir, a pulpit, a high altar, and a number of sculptures and paintings that portray the life and miracles of St. John of God.
The church is a historical monument that chronicles the social and medical services provided in Eisenstadt in addition to being a place of worship. The church was a component of a bigger complex that also housed a garden, a pharmacy, a hospital and a library. The Order of St. John of God brothers managed the hospital and gave the ill, the old, and the poor free care and lodging. Operating throughout the 20th century, the hospital was among the first and most sophisticated in the area. The pharmacy is the oldest one in Burgenland and was established in 1764. It is still in operation today. Book and manuscript collections in the library, which was founded in 1776, are priceless and include some that are from the fifteenth century. Designed in 1778, the garden is a lovely haven of flowers and foliage that doubles as a therapeutic herb garden.
Any visitor to Eisenstadt has to see the Church of St. John of God’s Brothers. It is a magnificent illustration of baroque architecture as well as evidence of the humanitarian and cultural contributions made by the Esterházy family and the Order of St. John of God. The public may visit the church Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on Sundays and holidays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Adult entrance is three euros; senior and student access costs two euros; and children under fourteen enter free of charge. At request, guided tours are also offered.
Landesgalerie Burgenland
In 1972, the Austrian Gallery Belvedere in Vienna opened a section called Landesgalerie Burgenland. It is situated in the former stables of the baroque Esterházy Palace, which was the centuries-long home of the powerful Esterházy family. Being home to the Haydn-Haus, a museum honoring the musician Joseph Haydn, who spent the most of his career working for the Esterházys, the palace is also a popular tourist destination in Eisenstadt. A splendid concert hall within the palace is another feature where Haydn’s and other classical works are frequently played.
About 3,000 works of art are permanently housed at the Landesgalerie Burgenland and include paintings, sculptures, graphics, photographs, and video art. The collection centers on the creative changes from the late 19th century to the present in Burgenland and its surrounding areas, including Hungary, Slovakia, and Croatia. Among the well-known painters included in the collection are Christian Ludwig Attersee, Erwin Wurm, Rudolf Hausner, Arnulf Rainer, and Anton Lehmden.
In addition, the museum presents thematic and multidisciplinary initiatives together with transient exhibitions by local and foreign artists. Among the most recent shows are “The Art of Resistance,” “The Female Gaze,” “The Power of Nature,” and “The Art of the 1980s.” Educational activities, guided tours, workshops, talks, and events for both adults and children are also planned by the museum.
Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00 is the hours of operation for the Landesgalerie Burgenland. Adult entrance costs four euros; senior and student admittance costs two euros; and children under fourteen enter free. A combined admission to the museum and the Esterházy Palace is 12 euros. A café and gift store at the museum allow guests to have a meal or beverage and purchase mementos.
Art enthusiasts as well as everybody interested in Burgenland’s and its environs’ cultural legacy should not miss the Landesgalerie Burgenland. It is a location where guests may enjoy the beauty and importance of the works of the local and regional artists as well as their diversity and inventiveness. In addition, visitors can obtain further knowledge about Burgenland’s history and civilization as well as its ties to other regions of Europe and the world at the museum.
Monuments in Eisenstadt
Hyrtl Monument
Famous Austrian anatomist and philanthropist Joseph Hyrtl, who was born in Eisenstadt in 1810, is honored with the Hyrtl Monument. in his 150th birthday, in 1960, the monument was built in the square that now bears his name. As a representation of his contributions to anatomy, the statue shows Hyrtl standing in front of a pedestal holding a human skull and a book. The monument lies close to the Kultur Kongress Zentrum Eisenstadt, an event and exhibition space, and the Landesgalerie Burgenland, an art and cultural museum.
Monument of Franz Liszt
Raiding was a little town in Burgenland, which was once a part of the Austrian Empire’s Kingdom of Hungary, where Franz Liszt was born in 1811. Early musical ability led to his recognition as a great pianist who toured Europe and played for nobility and aristocracy. A large and varied corpus of his compositions also includes symphonic poetry and religious music in addition to piano pieces and songs. Pioneer of musical invention, he experimented with novel forms, methods, and harmonies. He also supported and patronized a great deal of other composers, including Grieg, Wagner, Schumann, and Chopin.
Liszt was intimately associated with Eisenstadt and the Esterházy family, the most powerful music supporters in the area. Adam Liszt, his father, was a steward for Prince Nikolaus II Esterházy, and Liszt himself frequently paid visits to and gave concerts at the Esterházy Palace, where Haydn had been the court composer. Among the Esterházy family members Liszt taught piano were Princess Marie, who became a longtime friend and correspondent.
Franz Liszt is seen reclining on the Monument, his right hand clutching a laurel wreath and his left a musical score. Reflecting his later years when he became a devoted Catholic and obtained the minor orders of the church, he is dressed in a long coat with a clerical collar. He also sports a medallion bearing Beethoven’s picture, which he transcribed and deeply appreciated. The monument’s pedestal features a quotation from French poet Lamartine that Liszt adopted as the title of his symphonic poem Les Préludes: “Qu’est-ce que notre vie qu’une série de préludes à ce chant inconnu dont la mort entonne le premier vers solennel?“What is our life but a series of preludes to that unknown song of which death intones the first solemn verse?”.
The Franz Liszt Monument honours one of the most important and adaptable musicians of the 19th century, who made a lasting contribution to Austrian and Burgenland history and culture. It also serves as a reminder of Eisenstadt’s and the Esterházy family’s great musical legacy, which promoted the growth of classical music in Central Europe. Popular with tourists and music enthusiasts, the monument is next to the Liszt House, where Liszt lived and wrote while in Eisenstadt.
Column in honour of the Holy Trinity
Ordered by the “Royal Town of Eisenstadt,” the Plague Column was built in 1713, under the reign of Emperor Charles VI. It was supposed to be a cry to God to deliver the city from the disease that had devastated Europe in the years before. Led by the bacteria Yersinia pestis, the plague was a fatal infectious illness spread by fleas that preyed on rodents. The symptoms included a temperature, chills, headache, vomiting, and enlarged lymph nodes. Sometimes the infection results in septic shock, gangrene, and even death. Known by another name, the Black Death, the disease claimed millions of lives in the fourteenth century and reappeared on occasion until the eighteenth century.
The Baroque masterpiece that is the Plague Column was created by the Vienna-based architect Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt, who also created the Karlskirche and Belvedere Palace. Standing fifteen metres high, the column is composed of marble and sandstone. A pedestal, a thin Corinthian column encircled in bay leaf twigs, and a group of statues at the top make up it. The pedestal bears images of Saint Rochus, Sebastian, Kajetan, John of Nepomuk, and Rosalie—five saints who were invoked to ward against the plague. There’s a cartouche with the city’s coat of arms just above them. A plaque with curled up ends on both sides at Saint Francis’s feet reads:
“In the year 1713, when the plague was raging in the whole of Hungary, and also in this town, the most noble and loyal town council of the Royal Town of Eisenstadt, in order to avert the wrath of God, erected this column in honour of the Holy Trinity and the crowned queen of heavens, Mary, and the holy patrons of the town, Saint Martin and Saint Rochus, and also of the other saints who are depicted here, and they vowed to celebrate a solemn mass every year on the feast of the Holy Trinity, and to distribute alms to the poor.”
A collection of sculptures showing Mary’s coronation and God the Father and Jesus perched atop the column are crowned by the Holy Spirit hovering above them all like a dove. Gold leaf covers the lead sculptures. They represent the Holy Trinity, the Christian theology of the three individuals being in one God. The city’s adoration to the Virgin Mary, who was seen to be the faithful’s defender and intercessor, is also expressed in her coronation.
A monument of faith and thankfulness as much as art and architecture is the Plague Column. It stands for Eisenstadt residents’ gratitude for being spared from the disease as well as their hope and faith in God’s power and kindness. In addition, it honors the town council’s yearly commitment to hold a mass and provide assistance to the underprivileged. The Plague Column is a reminder of the brittleness and value of human life as well as a monument to the city’s civic and religious spirit.
