Esterházy Palace

Esterházy Palace in Fertőd is the most beautiful Baroque palace in Hungary and is also known as the Hungarian Versailles.

With 126 rooms, side buildings and 200 hectares of parkland, the palace is the largest palace complex in the country and the third largest Baroque palace in Europe. At the center of the palace is the State Hall on the ground floor and the adjoining Music Hall. The dining room below the State Hall connects the baroque garden with the building. The structure of the garden composition of almost 200 hectares is characterized by three radial axes (so-called duck foot avenues), which continue after the open baroque ornamental garden into the spacious pleasure forest, pheasant garden and deer park.

The palace complex was built during the reign of Prince Nikolaus I Esterházy, the "lover of splendor". Through continuous construction work from 1762 until his death in 1790, he wanted to make his residence similar to the royal courts. Luxurious festivities were part of his everyday life. Eszterháza was not only visited by high-ranking families of the time, but also by Empress and Queen Maria Theresa. The famous composer Joseph Haydn lived and worked here between 1766 and 1790.