Page 160 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2016 - Austria

158  A u STRIA RE g I o n B y RE g I on

f Eisenstadt old traditions were still observed,
such as the closing of the district
This small town in Burgenland lies on the southern slopes of for Sabbath, and the chains that
the Leitha Hills, 50 km (31 miles) south of Vienna. It became were once used for that purpose
the capital of Burgenland province in 1925, when the larger are preserved to this day. The two
and more notable Ödenburg – today the Hungarian town of Jewish cemeteries in Eisenstadt
Sopron – ended up on the other side of the border. From this are among the best-preserved
in Austria. The adjacent house,
date the town underwent a remarkable growth, and today which once belonged to Samson
it is an important transport hub, and wine-making centre. Wertheimer, now houses the
Eisenstadt is mainly associated with the Hungarian Esterházy Jewish Museum.
family and their famous choirmaster, Joseph Haydn. Another
great musician, Franz Liszt, was born on the Esterházys’ E Landesmuseum
estate, in the village of Raiding (see p154). Burgenland
Museumgasse 1–5. Tel (02682) 719-
4000. Open Timings vary, check
stone. The north tower of the website for opening timings.
church contains the most-visited ∑ landesmuseum-burgenland.at
attraction of the church: the tomb This museum houses a large
of Joseph Haydn. In 1932, on the collection of objects associated
200th anniversary of the com- with the history and art of the
poser’s death, a small mausoleum Burgenland province. Its geol-
was built here by the Esterházys ogical collection comprises
for the marble sarcophagus minerals and exhibits on the
containing Haydn’s remains. local Ice Age fauna. Archaeo l-
ogical findings include the
P Jüdischer Friedhof Drassburg Venus, items from
Unterbergstrasse. Jewish Museum: burial mounds in Siegendorf
Unterbergstrasse 6. Tel (02682) 65145. and objects which represent
Open May–Oct: 10am–5pm Tue–Sun; the Hallstatt and Roman cultures.
Nov–May: 9am–4pm Mon–Thu,
9am–1pm Fri; groups only. + Schloss Esterházy
Ornamental grille on Joseph Haydn’s tomb Closed 24 Dec–6 Jan. Esterházyplatz. Tel (02682) 63 004-
in the Bergkirche Until 1938, the Unterberg 7600. Open May–Sep: 10am–6pm
district of Eisenstadt was the daily; Apr & Oct: 10am–5pm daily;
Exploring Eisenstadt base of the Jewish population, Nov–Mar: 10am–5pm Fri–Sun & hols.
Above all, Eisenstadt is the town established in the 17th century 8 & ∑ esterhazy.at
of Haydn, and the main tourist by the Esterházys. It remained The Esterházy Castle was built
trails retrace his footsteps. Most under their protection and around 1390, on the site of earlier
of the town’s historic sights are played an important role in the fortifications, remains of which
clustered around the inner town life of the town. Inhabitants of were discovered in the course of
centre, south of Schlosspark. the district included the Chief excavations. In 1663–72, Carlo
Only the Bergkirche, with its Rabbi of the Hungarian Jewry, Martino Carlone transformed the
calvary, and the Jewish quarter banker Samson Wertheimer, castle into a magnificent Baroque
of Unterberg are situated and Sandor Wolf, a famous art palace. The main attraction inside
further to the west. collector. Eisenstadt was one is the Haydnsaal, a concert hall
of a handful of towns where beautifully decorated with
R Bergkirche
Joseph-Haydn-Platz 1.
Haydnmausoleum Open Apr–Oct:
9am–5pm daily. &
In 1715, Prince Paul Esterházy
ordered a hill to be created to
the west of the Schloss and of
Eisenstadt’s centre. He then had
a church built on top of that hill,
dedicated to the Visitation of
the Virgin Mary, with a Way of
the Cross made up of 24 stations.
The Passion figures are life-size
and each tableau stands in a
specially laid out room. The
rather theatrical, Baroque-style
figures are carved from wood or Tombstones in one of the Jewish cemeteries in Unterberg
For hotels and restaurants in this region see p295 and pp316–18

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