Eisenstadt


Eisenstadt is a city in Austria, the state capital of Burgenland. It had a recorded population on 1 January 2020 of 14,815.
In the Habsburg Empire's Kingdom of Hungary, Kismarton was the seat of the Eszterházy Hungarian noble family. The composer Joseph Haydn lived there as Hofkapellmeister under Esterházy patronage.

Geography

Eisenstadt lies on a plain leading down to the river Wulka, at the south foot of the Leitha Mountains, about from the Hungarian border.

Subdivisions

Eisenstadt is divided into three districts ':
  • Eisenstadt-Stadt
  • Kleinhöflein im Burgenland – a town that lies to the west of Eisenstadt proper
  • St. Georgen am Leithagebirge – a town that lies to the east of Eisenstadt proper
The city is divided into five Katastralgemeinden:
  • Eisenstadt-Stadt
  • Oberberg, or Oberberg-Eisenstadt – the northern area of Eisenstadt from the Jewish quarter, Jewish cemetery
  • Unterberg, or Unterberg-Eisenstadt – the southern area of Eisenstadt from Kalvarienbergplatz, Ruster Strasse
  • Kleinhöflein im Burgenland
  • St. Georgen am Leithagebirge
Other informal areas of the city include Wiesäcker and Lobäcker, which lie south of the Eisbach, a tributary of the Wulka. The city is surrounded by the district of Eisenstadt-Umgebung.
The city previously included the districts ' of Eisenstadt-Stadt, Eisenstadt-Oberberg, Eisenstadt-Unterberg, and Eisenstadt-Schloßgrund.

Nearby municipalities

Names and etymology

The city's name means "Iron City" and was first recorded in 1118 as Castrum ferrum, referring to the history of iron mining and iron trade in the area. The first written mention of the town is from 1264 as "minor Mortin", matching the Hungarian name, Kismarton, which recalls Martin of Tours, the patron saint of the main church.

History

Archeological finds prove that the Eisenstadt area was already settled in the Hallstatt period. Celts and Romans settled somewhat later. During the Migration Period, the area was settled by different Germanic tribes and the Huns. Around 800, during the reign of Charlemagne, settlement by the Bavarii began.
The fortress built on the original earth works was destroyed by the troops of Margrave Leopold III of Austria. In 1241, it was destroyed by the Mongol invaders. In 1373, the town came into the possession of the Kanizsai family, who rebuilt the walls surrounding the town and built a fortress at the site of the present day castle between 1388 and 1392. In 1388, Eisenstadt was given the right to hold markets by Emperor Sigismund.
From 1440 Archduke Albert VI of Austria held the town as collateral for a loan. In 1451, Matthias Corvinus ceded it to Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor in return for the Holy Crown of Hungary. Matthias Corvinus reconquered it by force in 1482, but Maximilian I acquired it again in 1490. It remained under Habsburg rule until 1622; however, the Ottoman Empire briefly conquered Kismarton in 1529 and 1532 during their advances on the city of Vienna. It was destroyed by fire in 1589.
In 1648, it passed under the rule of the Esterházy family. These Hungarian princes permanently changed the face of the city due to their extensive construction, especially on their castle, Schloss Esterházy. During this period, the city was captured by the army of Imre Thököly in 1683, and it saw the defeat of the rebel kuruc army of Sándor Károlyi by the Habsburgs in 1704. It was again destroyed by fire in 1776.
The appointment of Joseph Haydn as the prince's Hofkapellmeister began the great artistic period in the city's history. In 1809, Eisenstadt was occupied by French troops during the Napoleonic Wars; in 1897, it was joined to the railway network.
Until the end of World War I, it was the seat of Kismarton district in Sopron county in the Kingdom of Hungary. Without plebiscite, the city and the entire Hungarian territory of Burgenland was annexed to Austria by the Saint-Germain and Treaties of Trianon in 1921. Since 30 April 1925, Eisenstadt has been the seat of the Burgenland state government and thus the state capital. During World War II, Eisenstadt was heavily bombarded. On 2 April 1945, it was captured by Soviet troops of the 3rd Ukrainian Front in the course of the Vienna Offensive, and the city remained under Soviet occupation until 1955. In 1960, Eisenstadt became the see of its own Roman Catholic diocese.

Politics

The current mayor of Eisenstadt is Mag. Thomas Steiner ÖVP.
The district council is composed as follows :

Castles and palaces

Buildings

Culture

Eisenstadt hosts a Haydn festival, the Haydnfestspiele.

Twin towns — sister cities

Eisenstadt is twinned with:

Natives

Eisenstadt , a Jewish surname, derives from this city. Some people with this surname or its variants include: