Description of the attraction
Harrach Castle is a pearl of Austrian architecture, located a few kilometers east of Vienna. The castle is famous for its valuable art gallery, which is one of the most luxurious private collections.
In 1524 the castle became the property of the Harrach family, who turned it into one of the most beautiful castles in Austria. The Harrach family was one of the prominent families of the Habsburg monarchy, which included famous diplomats, princes. All family members were connoisseurs of painting, so each subsequent generation of the family had a hand in creating an excellent collection. Hundreds of paintings came to the castle from Spain, Italy and the Netherlands. They are now displayed in the castle, the stately home of the family, with splendid furnishings and artisan treasures that make up one of the world's most important private collections over the past 450 years. In the post-war years, the castle was partially looted, but was later rebuilt.
In the gallery of the castle you can see more than 200 paintings representing artists from all over the world, including such works as: "Holy Night", "Three Ladies Playing Music", "View of Naples". Also noteworthy are the large frescoes depicting the famous Austrian battles. In one of the halls you can see a bust of Haydn by Antonio Grassi. This bust is in the Haydn Hall, which is named after the famous musician and composer Joseph Haydn, who was born in the same village where Harrach Castle is located.
By the way, the Joseph Haydn Museum is only a few steps from the castle. The simple country house where the composer was born on March 31, 1732, and later his brother Michael Haydn (September 14, 1737), has been open to the public since 1959. The museum contains many interesting exhibits that tell in detail about the composer's youth.
