Burg Forchtenstein

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Straddling a dolomite spur some 20km southwest of Eisenstadt, Burg Forchtenstein is one of Burgenland’s most imposing castles with a grand view from its ramparts. This stronghold was built in the 14th century and enlarged by the Esterházys, who still own it today, in 1635.

The castle’s highlights include a museum dedicated to an impressive collection of armour and weapons, portraits of regal Esterházys in the Ahnengalerie and spoils from the Turkish wars (the castle curators will proudly tell you Forchtenstein was the only castle in the area not to fall to the Turks), along with a grand view from its ramparts. Its Schatzkammer contains a rich collection of jewellery and porcelain.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Schloss Esterházy

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  • Storno House & Collection

    Storno House & Collection

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  • Firewatch Tower

    Firewatch Tower

    12.2 MILES

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  • Arnulf Rainer Museum

    Arnulf Rainer Museum

    20.98 MILES

    Located inside the former Frauenbad (Women’s Bathhouse) near the tram terminus, this interesting museum showcases the work of its namesake Arnulf Rainer,…

  • Fabricius House

    Fabricius House

    12.17 MILES

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  • Old Synagogue

    Old Synagogue

    12.18 MILES

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  • Dom

    Dom

    8.37 MILES

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  • Stift Heiligenkreuz

    Stift Heiligenkreuz

    25.58 MILES

    This medieval monastery is one of the country’s most beautiful and is not only the second-oldest Cistercian monastery in the world but the oldest…

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Nearby attractions

1. Militärakademie

7.99 MILES

Dating from the 13th century, this former castle was turned into a military academy in the mid-18th century (founded by Empress Maria Theresia) and was…

2. Neukloster

8.11 MILES

This church's claim to fame is as the venue for the very first performance of Mozart's Requiem in 1793. Architecturally, the 14th-century church is fairly…

3. Hauptplatz

8.23 MILES

The town's main piazza is closed off on one side by the Rathaus, which is something of a hybrid of styles. It began life as a Gothic building, was given…

4. Dom

8.37 MILES

This cathedral runs an architectural gamut from the Romanesque (it dates from the late 13th century) to the Gothic and beyond to the baroque. The…

5. Stadtmuseum

8.42 MILES

Partly housed in the former St Peter’s monastery, the city museum was undergoing complete renovation at the time of writing. It's expected to reopen…

6. Fabricius House

12.17 MILES

This baroque mansion is divided into three sections. The archaeological exhibition covers Celtic, Roman and Hungarian periods of history, the standout…

7. Goat Church

12.18 MILES

Built in the late 13th century, this mostly Gothic church gets its unusual name from the legend that the church had been built thanks to the treasure…

8. Old Synagogue

12.18 MILES

The Old Synagogue, built in the 14th century, contains two rooms, one for each sex (note the women’s windows along the west wall). The main room contains…