Halbturn Palace (Schloss Halbturn) is the most important Baroque building in the entire state of Burgenland. The palace is located about a 50-minute drive from Vienna. It features interesting exhibitions, a large and ancient winery, and is surrounded by impressive, well-kept gardens.
The palace was built between 1701 and 1711 by the famous Baroque architect Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt (who also built the Belvedere Palace and Schwarzenberg Palace in Vienna). It was built for Emperor Charles VI to be the summer and hunting residence of the imperial family. The ownership of the palace passed among members of the Habsburg family, and when Maria Theresa received it, she renovated and upgraded it with the help of the architect Franz Anton Hillebrandt (who also built Prince Eugene of Savoy’s hunting lodge). The palace was then given to Maria Theresa’s beloved daughter, Marie Christine, and her husband, Prince Albert (founder of the Albertina Museum).
In 1945, the palace fell into the hands of the Soviets, and in 1949, it was almost completely burned down (fortunately, some of the original 18th-century palace rooms remained intact). After the great fire, the palace underwent a complete renovation and restoration and became a hall for exhibitions, concerts, and weddings.
In 1956, the palace passed into the ownership of Baron Paul Waldbott-Bassenheim, and today it is owned by his adopted son, Markus Königsegg-Aulendorf, and his wife, Philippa Waldburg-Zeil-Hohenems. This site is considered an Austrian national heritage site.
The Main Rooms of the Palace:
The Ballroom
This room is the only one that fully survived the great fire that broke out in the palace. It is an impressive room with huge ceiling paintings that have been preserved since 1765. These paintings were painted by the artist Franz Anton Maulbertsch as a wedding gift for Duchess Marie Christine.
The Red Hall
In the eastern part of the palace is the Red Hall, which is somewhat reminiscent of a Renaissance-style castle design. This is the residence of the current owners of the palace, and from there they manage the various events on site.
The Gardens of Halbturn Palace
The palace gardens were established in 1737 in the Baroque style and remained almost unchanged until the 19th century. In 1900, parts of the garden areas were changed and designed in an English style by the gardener Anton Umlauft (designer of the Schönbrunn Palace gardens). The garden is considered one of the most important in terms of its design and is included in the list of national heritage sites of Austria (it is the third most important in all of Austria). At the end of the gardens is the parish church of Halbturn, where many weddings are held throughout the year. Today, interesting and modern sculptures by the famous sculptor Walter Pichler are scattered throughout the garden.
This is what the palace looks like
Art, Culture, and Wine at the Palace
Throughout the year, the palace offers a variety of events for its visitors. There are changing art exhibitions, elaborate concerts, wine and gourmet food tastings, and also a charming Christmas market.
You can see the program of concerts at the palace here. The concerts take place in the summer.
In fact, the palace houses one of the largest and best wineries in Austria! The winery is located inside an antique shop that also sells the fine wine produced at the palace. It’s nice to walk around and see the various antiques while drinking delicious wine made on-site. You can find more information about the winery here.
Essential Information for Visiting Halbturn Palace
Opening Hours:
From April to October, Tuesday to Sunday, and holidays. From 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Address: Im Schloß, 7131 Halbturn
How to get there from Vienna?
You can get to the palace by public transport from Vienna. The journey takes about an hour and a quarter. Take a train from Vienna’s main train station (Wien Hauptbahnhof) to the Neusiedl am See station. From there, take bus number 292, which stops at Halbturn Wiener Straße. After getting off at this stop, you will have to walk for about 5 minutes to the palace. You can plan your route using the train website.
If you have a car, the journey takes about 50 minutes.
Map:
From the palace, you can continue to the large regional lake called Neusiedler See or relax at the pampering St. Martins Therme & Lodge.
