Part 5: Haydn's Church or the Bergkirche
The Bergkirche was loved by Haydn, he played the organ here and he wrote and directed music to be performed in this rather unique church (which I was not able to enter since there was a function in progress inside and Haydn's tomb, adjoining the church, was already closed).
The common name for the Bergkirche is the Haydn Church. So if that is what you call it, you have lots of company.
Haydn was buried here in 1820, 11 years after his death. He was first interred in Vienna, where his head was stolen and sold as a relic of this man who was considered a great composer during his own lifetime. He died in 1809 during Napoleon's attack on Vienna (but not because of that attack). His head eventually rejoined his body.
There is a monument in front of the Bergkirche that may, like other monuments in Europe, be a testament to human suffering (war, famine, plague, etc.) and the triumph of faith over all that.
Sorry, couldn't pass up that opportunity to catch the setting sun behind the stele. Turning just a bit shows it a little better:
And here are some close-ups of some of the suffering portrayed, one man is obviously dying of multiple arrows and the other one is looking up in faith to his source of salvation:
Below these two lies another figure, she seems to be weighed down by rock, and seems to be clutching her hope of salvation, the cross, with a confident smile, even in death:
So what is the theme of the Bergkirche? Suffering! Look at the angels all over the roof, each one is in an attitude of suffering (there are also some real people at the upper entry into the church, looked like a wedding group so I didn't push my way in):
Going in the front door exposed one to more suffering, saints this time:
My photo of the interior of this very richly adorned chapel failed miserably, sorry!
By this time I was starting to worry about making my train on time to get back to Vienna. So I walked very rapidly downhill only to discover some flowers, get distracted and make a wrong turn.
I got directions from a young boy who suggested I should just walk through the apartment complex across the street as he would do if he were taking a train somewhere. That complex was blocking my view of where I thought the train station might be, but I did not remember seeing this particular complex before. He said the tracks were just beyond this complex and if I followed them to the station I wouldn't miss (good thing this is not a high-speed track). So I did what the young fellow suggested, found the tracks, followed them around a bend and within minutes I saw my single-car train already there waiting for me (not really)! I made it on board with about 3 minutes to spare before it took off. What, me worry?
On the way to our next stop (a stopover point for me) I caught this setting-sun-drenched cloud and at the same time the sun that was illuminating it, as a reflection in my window. Like having your cake and eating it too? Maybe.
There was an 8 minute layover scheduled, which gave me an opportunity to validate my ticket and buy a drink. The last train of the day was brand new, quite luxurious, air-conditioned, and fast! Seemed like in no time I was back in Vienna. I was very satisfied with my day in Austria. My feet were not. I hobbled on my huge blisters for almost a week. Funny, I had thought of bringing my hiking boots but they were heavy. Would have prevented the blisters though. Life is full of choices between different forms of pain, and then you die. (Was that the theme of the Haydn church?)
Go back to Eisenstadt Part 1: the Esterhazy palace and Haydn's home
Go back to Eisenstadt Part 2: the palace tour begins
Go back to Eisenstadt Part 3: the palace tour ends
Go back to Eisenstadt Part 4: the palace gardens
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