One of Austria’s shining jewels and legacies from the glorious Habsburg empire is the Esterhazy Palace, standing majestically in the town of Eisenstadt just 30 kms southeast of Vienna. The Baroque style Palais Esterhazy which was built in the 17th century and completed in the early 19th century used to be a major venue where the royalty and the elite come to mingle and party. Among its illustrious guests was famous Austrian composer Joseph Haydn who was then the court musician of the royal family. The powerful Esterhazy clan once owned several estates in the country but their fortunes fell into ruins and they had to sell their properties to the state. Although the family regained control of the palace in 1900, it was rarely used and inhabited since then.
Nevertheless Esterhazy Palace remains to be one important landmark in the region. Visitors to the palace can marvel at the intricately designed rooms that were used by the royal family. One special part of the palace is the Haydn Hall which was the concert hall where the musician performed for his audiences and where he composed some of his best works. It is said that the Haydn Hall has one of the best acoustics in the world which is why up until today it is still a venue for cultural performances such as the annual Joseph Haydn Festival, operas and oratorios. Aside from this, the palace also has the Wine Museum which focuses on wines from the region and the process of wine cultivation and making in the region of Burgenland.
