Forchtenstein Castle

Forchtenstein was rebuilt as a fortress in the seventeenth century by the Esterhazy family and never turned into a comfortable palace, which is why its contents survived. The treasury holds clocks, automata, silver and curiosities gathered over generations, and the armoury keeps rank upon rank of historic arms and armour on their original racks. In the courtyard a well shaft was cut many metres down through rock to reach water. Tours move through the rooms in fixed groups, since the collections are stored rather than staged. Outside, the walls look north over the plain towards the lake country.

What you actually see

• The treasury - the family collection of clocks, automata, silver and curiosities.
• The armoury - the racks of historic arms and armour kept in their original arrangement.
• The deep well - the shaft cut down through rock in the courtyard to reach water.
• The ramparts - the walls and bastions looking north across the Burgenland plain.

When to go

Open from spring to autumn, with tours at set times and limited group sizes, so book ahead at weekends. Treasury and armoury are usually separate tours, which doubles the time needed. Mid week in May or September is quietest. Winter closes the castle almost completely.

Honest expectations

Everything is guided and timed, mostly in German, and wandering on your own is not possible. Two tours plus the waiting between them takes a long afternoon. The interiors are storage rooms rather than furnished apartments, which disappoints anyone expecting palace decor. The approach road is narrow and parking is tight on summer weekends.

Nearby

Eisenstadt and the Neusiedler See lie east across the plain.