Walachenschafe (c) SKB, Foto: Astrid Knie

The Location

Estate Farm

The estate farm’s function in the eighteenth century was to provide the princely household with food and luxuries, to care for the upkeep of the riding and domestic animals, and to perform maintenance services. Today the area covers many different sections, which make farming life in the Baroque age live again for the visitor.

Animal World

History lives again, literally, on the estate farm, in the many animals enlivening the historical buildings.

The animals’ origins extend over different continents, but a key focus of the population is on representatives of ancient Austrian and rare domestic breeds. Different horse breeds frolic across the enclosures, besides sheep, goats, camels and feathered species.

Happily, the animal population is constantly growing, demonstrable every spring. The animals are not only a permanent part of the estate farm scene, but also play prominent roles in various festivities.

Vierhornziege — A four-horn goat is a special attraction today, as it was in Baroque times. It is a matter of chance whether a kid is born like its parents with four or with two horns. Prince Eugene, too, was also the proud owner of such animals in his day.

Noriker — The name of these heavy horses comes from the Roman Province of Noricum, which extended over part of the Austrian Alpine regions and is the horses’ place of origin. In Schloss Hof the heavy horses are mainly used for coach rides.

Kamele — Prince Eugene and his soldiers were familiar with camels from their battles against the Ottomans. The animals are extremely robust and can cope with fluctuating temperatures of up to 80° C within a period of forty hours.

Zackelschaf — The Racka sheep is an ancient, protected species of sheep and the typical animal of shepherds on the Hungarian plains. Their wool is used to make the shepherds’ traditional cloak, the schuba.

Esel — The extremely rare Austrian-Hungarian white Baroque donkey is one of the faunal highlights in Schloss Hof. White coat and blue eyes ensure their special popularity – they were known as “light-bringers” in the Baroque era.

Bäckenhof

The so-called Bäckenhof got its name from the bakery – its oven is still preserved in the rooms of the exhibition “Showcasing Europe: The Banat”.

An important part of the section in the Bäckenhof is the Children’s Adventure World with Baroque theatre and workshops. Making things with natural materials or baking bread are among the key activities, also dressing up, dancing and writing with a quill.

Kitchen Garden

There are numerous small kitchen gardens on the estate farm; they are theme-oriented and show off the enormous variety of plants.

Herb Garden
Plants with special uses can be discovered in the herb garden. There are kitchen herbs, also plants used as dyes, fragrances or against a diversity of physical and mental ailments.

Weinviertel Garden
This regionally typical country garden grows domestic decorative plants, also vegetables such as cabbage and turnips.

Nasch-und Beerengarten – The “Relish” and Berry Garden
In the “Nasch-und Beerengarten” we find all those aromatic fruits that can be tasted when ripe. Please take your pick!

Potpourri Garden
The “Allerleigarten” (Garden with everything) grows botanical rarities and exotic plants, besides ancient species of vegetables and fruit. Thematic beds show visitors the use of all kinds of different plants.

Rose Garden
Concealed behind old brick walls is the Rose Garden, in which every year more than thirty different sorts breathe out their heady fragrances. And the rose “Prince Eugene of Savoy” is one of them.

Summer, Sand and Hammocks

The haven with sand, spray mist and hammocks promises relaxation and cooling off for the whole family.

With the motto “Summer, Sand and Hammocks”, Austria’s largest palace complex has come up with yet another “cool" idea: the chill-out zone with sand and hammocks promises relaxation and cooling off for the whole family.