On Joseph's Haydn way from Eisenstadt to Eszterháza, Count Estherházy’s Hungarian version of Versailles palace, Count Nikolaus often stopped over in Sopron. Traveling with him was his Kapellmeister Joseph Haydn.
The city of Sopron is located in the geographic center of the region in which
Joseph Haydn used to work for the Esterhazy’s for nearly
30 years. Even Empress
Maria Theresia was so impressed by this grand palace in rural Hungary that she loved to accept concert invitations by Count Nikolaus. Haydn often performed at the
count’s house or in the
music pavilion in the baroque palace garden. For Haydn, Sopron was part of his home throughout the
largest part of his career.
The
Esterházy Palace, which is also known as
Haydn House, is still reminiscent of those times. Today the palace accommodates a mining museum and changing exhibitions. The times of Haydn are being revived in the old halls where you can still find one wall with its
original painting. A memorial plaque on the exterior reminds of the famous composer.