Capital of the Austrian province of Burgenland or the wine-growing region of the same name, which includes the municipalities of St. Georgen in the east (the Grinzing of Eisenstadt) and Kleinhöflein in the west. The town is situated on the southern slope of the Leitha Mountains. It was first mentioned in a document in 1264. In 1648 Eisenstadt was raised to the status of a free city and paid for it with 16,000 gulden and 3,000 buckets of wine worth 9,000 gulden. In 1622 the Esterházy princely family received a gift from Emperor Ferdinand II. (1578-1637) pledged the dominions of Eisenstadt and Forchtenstein. The famous composer Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) entered the service of the Esterházys in 1761. At that time wine was exported from Eisenstadt to Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia and Poland. The "Fürstlich Esterházy's Schlossweingut" is still the largest winery in Burgenland today. In Eisenstadt is the central examination office for the issuing of the State examination number.