Description of the attraction
The House-Museum of Franz Liszt is located in the small village of the same name Riding, located in the border region of Austria in the federal state of Burgenland. The distance to the Hungarian border is about 12 kilometers.
It was in this village house that the great Austrian composer was born on October 22, 1811. At that time, Ryding had a different name - Doboryan and was considered Hungarian territory. Here was one of the many estates of the Hungarian nobility - the princes of Esterhazy. Ferenc's father, Adam List, served as administrator of their property, and in 1809 he was sent to oversee the estate in Ryding, famous for its large herd of sheep. In the neighborhood was the large city of Mattersburg, where the first meeting of Adam List with a poor girl Anna, the daughter of a baker, who later became his wife, took place.
The house itself, which legally belonged to the Esterhazy family, was built in the 16th century, but was greatly increased in size in 1806-1808. In 1911, a memorial center was built here in memory of the great composer, but a full-fledged museum was opened only forty years later - in 1951. The museum consists of three small rooms, but the authentic setting of the early 19th century, unfortunately, has not been completely preserved. However, a unique exhibit is presented here - a portable Baroque church organ of 1840, on which Liszt played, as well as an ancient statuette of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, installed under the low vaulted ceilings of the house during the composer's childhood. The museum also displays several portraits of Franz Liszt and several busts, including a lifetime one, made in 1867.
In 2006, the Liszt Ferenc Musical Theater was opened on the territory of the museum, which is a low light building designed by a Dutch architect. It is distinguished by a sophisticated modern setting and a slightly extravagantly furnished concert hall that can seat 600 people. Various festivals in memory of the famous composer, chamber and piano music concerts are held here.
It should be noted that the Franz Liszt house-museum is open only during the warm season and is closed for the winter.
