Eisenstadt

The "city of iron."

A small (pop. 13,000) city on the Hungarian border, capital of the Austrian state of Burgenland, back in the Dark Ages this settlement was fought over by various Celts, Huns, and Germanic tribes, before being conquered by the Romans who built the pillars of what it is today. For much of this millennium it was Hungarian, and the Schloss Esterházy, a palace built by the eponymous ruling family, is one of the most important sites you will find today in the so-called "city of iron" which is the translation of the name Eisenstadt, referring to the history of iron smelting and trade that grew up in the area. In the castle's interior you'll find the Haydnsaal, a concert hall famed for being among the world's most acoustically perfect (it was named for composer Josef Haydn, who was music director for the Esterhazy family).