Grenades, Flags, Grenadiers
It houses the former arsenal and armoury, the arsenal, with weapons and military equipment from the sixteenth century and the Thirty Years' War – muskets, cuirasses, morion helmets, pikes, halberds and innumerable items from the local weapon production: raw wood for guns, case-shot, hand grenade containers and canon balls made of the most diverse materials.
Particularly striking are canons and crossbows – not exactly harmless when used. The tour also presents an astounding abundance of looted items from the Prussian and Napoleonic Wars, and also equipment the Esterházy Regiment used on these campaigns.
The castle chapel, the oratory with its Gothic altar and Man of Sorrows from Pottendorf Castle, the historic castle kitchen and the extraordinary well round off the tour through the history of the Esterházy family and their castle.
Grenades, Flags, Grenadiers - Treasures from the historic arsenal of the Esterházy Princes
For a long period of time, Forchtenstein Castle, site of one of Europe’s earliest museums, served as the arsenal of the Esterházy Princes. Covering ten rooms, the exhibition Grenades, Flags, Grenadiers offers insights into life in uniform and the well-stocked Esterházy stores of weapons and military equipment – today one of Europe’s largest private armouries.
