Eisenstadt: Jewish Quarter, Haydn and Esterházy Palace

The Austrian Jewish Museum has been housed in the Wertheimerhaus in Eisenstadt’s former Jewish Quarter since 1978. The largely preserved ensemble of the quarter is an exceptional monument to social and settlement history. The Samson Wertheimer Synagogue is also part of this historic site: it is accessible as part of a museum visit and is Austria’s oldest synagogue preserved in its original function.

Haydn’s home, churches and musical history

The Haydn House was Joseph Haydn’s former home; the composer lived there for twelve years. The rooms contain original furniture from Haydn’s time. You can encounter another side of his Eisenstadt legacy at the Haydn Church, the pilgrimage church of “Maria Heimsuchung” on the Oberberg. It was built between 1715 and 1803 according to the plans of Prince Paul I Esterházy. Several of Joseph Haydn’s masses premiered here under his direction. The famous Haydn organ, built to Haydn’s specifications, is located in the gallery.

The Bergkirche is also connected with Haydn’s history: the Haydn Mausoleum, his burial place, lies beneath its north tower. His home, church music and mausoleum thus represent different aspects of Haydn’s life and work in Eisenstadt. Those interested in music history will find more than a single memorial site here.

Esterházy Palace and Burgenland’s wine culture

Esterházy Palace is considered one of Austria’s most beautiful Baroque palaces. Its Haydnsaal is regarded as the heart of the palace. The palace also contains 330-year-old vaulted cellars, which house the Wine Museum. Its exhibition includes more than 700 objects and provides an overview of the cultural history and rich traditions of winemaking in Burgenland.

The palace gardens offer another historical perspective: they are a significant 19th-century landscape garden covering almost 50 hectares. Because of their size, variety and number, the historic greenhouses of the orangery are among the most important complexes of their kind. A rotunda also houses a copy of a statue of Princess Leopoldine Esterházy, created by the Italian sculptor Antonio Canova.

Green spaces and trails around Eisenstadt

The surrounding area offers a variety of landscapes beyond the palace gardens. At about 18 hectares, the nature reserve in St. Georgen is the largest continuous area of meadowland in the intensively farmed Wulka Valley. In the western Leitha Mountains, the Eisenstadt section of the ÖTK maintains about 150 kilometres of marked trails.

For a specific hike, one route takes 1.5 hours to reach the 443-metre-high Buchkogel and its observation tower. Another route description covers the walk from Esterházy Palace to the Gloriette in the Leitha Mountains: the somewhat steep walk takes around 20 minutes. From the Gloriette, the view stretches across the Wulka Plain to Lake Neusiedl. The two time estimates give you an idea of walks of different lengths; the view at each destination is a distinct part of the experience.

Planning your trip

For rail travel, the fastest connection from Vienna Central Station to Eisenstadt takes one hour and three minutes on the REX 65. Check the timetable before departure. In Eisenstadt, the bus parking area is right next to the cathedral and just a few steps from the pedestrian zone, Esterházy Palace and the Kultur Kongress Zentrum Eisenstadt.

You can plan your trip around the topics that interest you most: Jewish history, Haydn’s life and music, the palace and wine culture, or trails through the landscape.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Eisenstadt, Purbach am Neusiedler See, Mörbisch am See, Donnerskirchen, Breitenbrunn, Neufeld an der Leitha, Trausdorf an der Wulka, Sankt Margarethen im Burgenland, Loretto, Wulkaprodersdorf, Schützen am Gebirge, Oggau am Neusiedler See, Klingenbach, Hornstein, Zagersdorf, Oslip.

To the main travel overview: Burgenland.