History


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In 1622, the late-medieval moated castle came into the possession of the Esterházy family as part of the Imperial lien property. From 1663 to 1672, the castle was rebuilt in early baroque style and became the residence of the Esterházy family, who were elevated to the rank of princes in 1687.

The first zoological and vegetable gardens were documented in 1569, while the first ornamental gardens were documented in 1624. From 1682 onwards, the garden area was extended. In 1750, the garden architect Louis Gervais reshaped the early-baroque formal garden into an elaborate garden in Rococo style.


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In 1797, after he had purchased several additional plots of land, Prince Nikolaus II. Esterházy started to convert the park into a vast English landscape garden.

The conversion was begun by the head gardener of the Esterházy family, Matthias Pölt, and finally completed by the architect Charles de Moreau, who was also responsible for the redesign of the palace in neo-classic style. Together with the Court Gardener Anton Niermayer, he created the romantic landscape garden which still presents itself to today’s visitors.

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