Bergkirche, Baroque church in Eisenstadt, Austria.
The Bergkirche is a Baroque church in Eisenstadt with a square main body and a two-storey west porch flanked by two square tower stumps capped with tent roofs. The interior is circular, with shallow altar niches and a dome pierced by lunette windows. A green-domed cupola with a gold finial rises behind the white facade.
Prince Paul Esterházy commissioned the building in 1715, establishing it as a religious center for Burgenland's capital. The church was built during a time when baroque architecture dominated Central Europe and the Esterházy family displayed their influence through grand construction projects.
The church is also called Haydnkirche, and since 1932 his remains have lain in a mausoleum in the left side wing, built by Paul Esterházy to plans by Franz Kraus. The skull, held in Vienna, was reunited with the body only in 1954. The white marble sarcophagus is by Oskar Thiede.
The site is best explored on foot, as it sits on a hill with manageable surroundings for walking. Wear appropriate footwear, especially if you plan to visit the adjacent Kalvarienberg where steps and paths invite exploration.
The Kalvarienberg beside the church is modelled on the Calvary Hill of Maria Lanzendorf. Its vividly painted Stations of the Cross were carved by Franciscan friars over 250 years ago, and in its day the artificial mountain was called the eighth wonder of the world.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 94,186 contributors worldwide.
