Kittsee is laid out as a village around a lentil-shaped village green; long, hooked, and transverse farmsteads shape its settlement pattern. Notable historical features include Kittsee Castle, the Old Castle, and the Heidenturm (Heathens’ Tower). Other highlights include walks in the castle park, cultural events throughout the year, and seasonal apricot blossom. This gives you a choice of different focal points for planning your trip: local and architectural history, an event, or the apricot blossom season.
Village Green and Farmsteads
The lentil-shaped village green gives the village layout a distinctive basic form. The long, hooked, and transverse farmsteads add different types of farmstead to the village-green settlement. If you are interested in the layout of the village, the settlement pattern itself is another subject to explore alongside individual sights. The castle and the Heidenturm each represent further, distinct chapters in Kittsee’s history.
Kittsee Castle and Culture in the Park
Kittsee Castle is a Baroque palace on the edge of the town center, surrounded by parkland. It was built as a manor farm in the early 17th century; in the mid-18th century, Prince Paul Anton Esterházy commissioned an extensive Baroque-style renovation. Its present-day Baroque character is therefore the result of a later redesign of an older building.
The castle park is a place to relax and is used for walks. There is a children’s playground at the back of the park. The castle grounds are also used for cultural events: events are held both indoors and in the park throughout the year, including the Kittee Summer Festival, the Pannonian Forum, the Culture Summer, the Culture Autumn, and Advent. The Pannonian Forum association holds matinees in the ballroom on Sundays at 11 a.m. in spring and autumn, featuring national and international artists. Check specific event dates before your trip, as individual dates may vary.
Heidenturm, Old Castle, and Local History
The Heidenturm, also known as the Öder Turm (Desolate Tower), is believed to be the remains of a late medieval watchtower and bell tower in the abandoned settlement of Lebarn. It is the only surviving structure from the former settlement of Lebarn to have endured the First Siege of Vienna by the Ottomans in 1529. The tower thus links the history of a former settlement with a notable event of the 16th century. The Heidenturm site also offers a view of the skyline of Pressburg (Bratislava).
The Old Castle tells the story of a different era: originally, it was a moated castle surrounded by a loop of the Danube. It was built in the 12th century under the Árpád dynasty as a frontier fortress against Babenberg Austria. Kittsee Castle and the Old Castle thus reflect different architectural and historical periods, which can be explored separately while visiting the area.
Another cultural landmark is the birthplace of Joseph Joachim in Kittsee. This architecturally interesting house is associated with the world-famous violin virtuoso and concertmaster. From 1973 to 2008, the castle also housed the Ethnographic Museum, an outpost of the Museum of Folk Life and Folk Art in Vienna.
Apricot Blossom and Local Cuisine
The Kittsee apricot trees usually blossom in late March or early April; the exact timing depends on the weather. The blossom attracts numerous visitors every year. Kittsee apricots are used to make, among other things, compote, jam, strudel, and apricot dumplings. The blossom season and local dishes therefore offer two different reasons to visit: a seasonal natural spectacle and the local use of the fruit.
The landscape is also part of the village’s character: a nature reserve was established years ago in one part of the Kittsee landscape because of the presence of great bustards. When planning your dates, you can compare the weather-dependent apricot blossom season with cultural events, which take place throughout the year. This lets you choose the focus of your trip without conflating different dates and themes.
Discover more destinations: Pamhagen, Halbturn, Parndorf, Edelstal, Weiden Am See, Podersdorf Am See, Mönchhof, Jois.
Go to the main travel overview: Neusiedl Am See.
