Schloss Esterházy

Schloss Esterházy Review

The former palace of the ruling princes with its yellow facade reigns over the town. Built in the baroque style between 1663 and 1672 on the foundations of a medieval castle and later modified, it is still owned by the Esterházy family, who lease it to the provincial government for use mostly as offices. The Esterházy family rooms are worth viewing, and the lavishly decorated Haydn Room, an impressive concert hall where the composer conducted his own works from 1761 until 1790, is still used for presentations of Haydn's works, with musicians often dressed in period garb. The hall is one of several rooms on a guided tour (in English on request if there are at least 10 people) that lasts about 30 minutes. The cellar has a large wine museum with 700 objects inlcuding a massive wine barrel and historical grape press. A tour of the princess's apartment was added in 2012 and includes objects relating to three royal women. The park behind the Schloss is pleasant for a stroll or a picnic. In late August the park is the site of the Burgenland wine week, during which there's a two-hour tour on wine and culture at the palace. It ends with a tasting. Inquire at the information desk.