Liszt Monument

The Liszt Monument on Esterházy Platz was made in 1936 to celebrate the 125th birthday of this great son of Burgenland.

Franz Liszt (1811 - 1886)

Franz Liszt was born in 1811 in Raiding (at the time part of the Comitat of Sopron, Hungary). His father, Adám Liszt, manager serving the Esterházy family and his mother Anna Mária Liszt, lived a live of modest means and loved their child with great devotion.

When Liszt was five, his unusual musical talent was discovered. At the age of nine he already played public concerts in Sopron. He started his artistic career as child prodigy and first-rate piano virtuoso, much like Mozart.

The salons and concert houses of all European cultural centres were at his feet. He was loved by women and adored by music lovers. It is said that their devotion has often crossed the line of hysteria. Franz Liszt is one of the most famous persons of the 19th century.

Later in his life he turned away completely from all worldly glory and glamour and withdrew into a deep religiosity. He lived according to the seclusion of Roman monasteries and focused on the inner world of spirituality. He even received the consecration of lower clergy and carried the title "Abb".

"What more is our life than a series of preludes to the unknown song of which death plays the first, festive note?" (Lamartine)

Franz Liszt died in Bayreuth on the 31st July 1886. Liszt selected these words attributed to the French poet Lamartine as motto for his symphonic poems "Les Präludes".

The Liszt Monument was made by A. Járay; it is of white marble.