Description of the attraction
Halbturn Palace is located in the small settlement of the same name, located in the border region of Austria on the territory of the federal state of Burgenland. The Hungarian border is 3 kilometers away.
The palace was built in just 10 years - construction began in 1701 and ended in 1711. It is made in a baroque style. It originally functioned as a small hunting lodge for the Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI. The building was built by the great court architect Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt, who also designed the Belvedere Palace in Vienna.
Several decades later, during the government of Charles VI's daughter, the famous Empress Maria Theresa, the palace was greatly rebuilt and enlarged. It was handed over to the empress's son-in-law, Duke Albert of Saxe-Teshensky, who served as governor in Hungary. His summer residence was located here. At the same time, the decoration of the outer rooms of the castle was carried out. Especially noteworthy are the amazing frescoes by Franz Anton Maulberch, an Austrian late Baroque artist who was distinguished by a very peculiar style and bright colors.
In 1949, a fire broke out in the castle, and, unfortunately, it was not possible to restore the damaged parts of the building. Since 1955, the Halbturn Palace has been owned by the descendants of the Habsburg imperial dynasty. The castle is a private property, but some of its rooms are open to tourists. Various concerts are also held here.
Especially worth noting is the magnificent Baroque park laid out around the palace, which has been partially preserved since the time of Emperor Charles VI - since 1737. This strictly verified French regular park flows smoothly into a picturesque English landscape park, characterized by a variety of landscapes. The landscaping of the park in 1900 was carried out by the court gardener of the Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna.
