Schloss Esterházy

Eisenstadt, Austria

Schloss Esterházy was constructed in the late 13th century, and came under ownership of the Hungarian Esterházy family in 1622. Under Paul I, 1st Prince Esterházy of Galántha the estate was converted into a baroque castle which remained the principal residence and center of administration of the family for over 300 years. The palace currently offers a wine museum, gift shop, guided tours, and concerts in the famous Haydnsaal as well as the large garden in the rear of the castle.

The Haydnsaal, originally the large multi-purpose festival and banquet room, is a piece of artwork in itself in the Schloss Esterházy. With its size and ornate splendor, it reflects the political, economic and cultural dominance of the Esterházy family. Today it ranks among the most beautiful and acoustically perfect concert halls of the world. Its name goes back to the famous composer Joseph Haydn, who worked for nearly forty years in the service of the Esterházy family. Many of his works composed and premiered in Eisenstadt and the Schloss Esterházy.

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Founded: 1620s
Category: Palaces, manors and town halls in Austria

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Liudmyla (12 months ago)
Amazing guided tour at 13:00 in English. Interesting facts about palace and its owners. Ticket is 19 eur for Adult. Alternative to come to concert to see the most beautiful part of the palace - Haydnsaal
Amanda m (14 months ago)
I loved the tour in English. Thanks ? I hope I can go back to listen to some concerts too.?? Car parking is around €2.85/ hour. A bit overpriced.
Linda S. (2 years ago)
A nice castle, better get a guided tour, otherwise you don't get to see the most interesting parts. The concert hall is marvelous. The Haydn museum was also interesting. The garden is for free and an absolute must, especially of course in the spring and summer.
Oliver Finker (2 years ago)
We visited the castle/palace on a Tuesday afternoon and booked a tour. The tour was in German language and pretty interesting, although it focused a bit too much on stories about people who visited the castle and not enough about the building itself. The interior is spectacular and we were permitted to even see the main concert hall, despite an orchestra already setting up and pracsticing for a concert taking place later in the evening. In the end, we also received vouchers for a café next to the castle (a free coffee if you eat a cake for at least €5,-). The castle also offers a few museums which was useful to pass the time until our tour started. We visited the wine cellars, which presented a wide variety of old tools used for wine making and other agricultural processing. This museum by itself was quite interesting and we enjoyed it. Can recommend visiting - and the pedestrian area of Eisenstadt's inner town is right around the corner as well for a stroll.
Andreea Coșeru (2 years ago)
Amazed by the place. I had the oportunity to listen some Youth Orchestra. Haydnsaal has a great acoustic. The lady from the ticket office was just outstanding-very nice! I was impressed by the place and i will return for sure? This place is heaven for musicians!
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