Fodor's Expert Review Schloss Esterházy
The former palace of the ruling princes 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 today. The highlight for visitors is the lavishly decorated Haydn Room, an extraordinarily ornate concert hall where the composer conducted his own works from 1761 until 1790. It's still used for presentations of Haydn's works today, with musicians often dressed in period garb. The hall is one of several rooms on a guided tour (in English at 1 pm every day during July and August; weekends only in winter), which lasts around 45 minutes and ends in the Baroque chapel. Below the palace is the refreshingly-cool cellar, home to the largest wine museum in Austria with 700 objects including a massive wine barrel and historical grape press. In front of the palace are the former stables, once the accommodation of Esterházy guards and horses but now home to restaurants, wine stores,... READ MORE
The former palace of the ruling princes 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 today. The highlight for visitors is the lavishly decorated Haydn Room, an extraordinarily ornate concert hall where the composer conducted his own works from 1761 until 1790. It's still used for presentations of Haydn's works today, with musicians often dressed in period garb. The hall is one of several rooms on a guided tour (in English at 1 pm every day during July and August; weekends only in winter), which lasts around 45 minutes and ends in the Baroque chapel. Below the palace is the refreshingly-cool cellar, home to the largest wine museum in Austria with 700 objects including a massive wine barrel and historical grape press. In front of the palace are the former stables, once the accommodation of Esterházy guards and horses but now home to restaurants, wine stores, and florists. And behind the palace is the sprawling, lake-filled Schlosspark, perfect for a stroll, a swim, or a picnic—the best way in is the gate between Haydn-Haus and Franziskanerkirche.
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