A site of continuous human habitation since prehistoric times, the southwestern part belonged to the Celtic kingdom of Noricum in the Iron Age. The region was later part of the Roman province of Pannonia. Occupied in turn by Teutonic tribes, Avars, and Slavs, it was settled by Germans in the 8th century. Although part of Hungary, it became a focus of German settlement under a largely Magyar ruling class. Burgenland's early history is linked to that of Hungary and after 1529 to the Habsburg empire. After World War I the predominantly German parts of western Hungary were ceded to Austria and became Burgenland, but Hungary retained control of the Sopron (Odenburg) area after a plebiscite in 1921. The loss of Sopron robbed Burgenland of its natural capital and severed communication lines from north to south. Eisenstadt became the capital in 1925. Burgenland regained its status as a Bundesland in 1945 after having been divided between the Reichsgaue ("Reich's provinces") Niederdonau and Steiermark of greater Germany during the Anschluss, or incorporation of Austria into the Reich (1938-45).

Eisenstadt city, capital (since 1925) of Burgenland Bundesland (federal state), eastern Austria. It lies at the southern end of the Leitha Mountains, south of Vienna. Mentioned in 1264, it was a free city of Hungary from 1648 until Burgenland was ceded to Austria in 1920. Eisenstadt's notable landmarks include the former castle of the Esterhazy princes (14th century; rebuilt 1663-72); the Mount Calvary Church (Kalvarienbergkirche), with the tomb of the composer Joseph Haydn; the house where Haydn lived from 1766 to 1790, now a museum; the parish church (1450-1522); and the Franciscan church (1625-30), with the Esterhazy family vault. The castle of Forchtenstein, former seat of the counts von Mattersdorf, is nearby. Eisenstadt has orchards and vineyards, and its manufactures include textiles, ski equipment, and metal kitchenware.