Paradies Garten takes place in the beautiful castle gardens of Prugg Castle, right in the center of Bruck an der Leitha. It's right at the border of the vast Harrach Park, which also houses the Sweet Harmony camping. The natural beauty of this location is perhaps Paradies Garten's biggest headliner. With respect to its history and in collaboration with the current owner, we are proud to organise a sustainable festival that entirely runs on green energy (powered by the nearby windmill farm) and leaves a minimal ecological footprint.
Prugg Castle
The first stones of Prugg Castle were initially constructed in the 11th century as a fortress to protect against Hungarian invasions. Strategically located near the Leitha River, it held significant military importance to whoever could hold on to it, rarely changing hands in medieval times. Despite enduring several sieges, it was only abandoned once due to lack of provisions in 1484. Ownership shifted through noble families over the centuries, undergoing significant renovations in the 18th and 19th centuries. Plundered in 1945, it since remains in the possession of the Harrach family.
Harrach Park
The Harrach Park, formerly a Renaissance garden, was transformed into a baroque ornamental and pleasure garden around 1700 and was designed by Hildebrandt. Extending within and northeast of the fortifications, it featured bosquets, utility, and orchard gardens reaching the Leitha River and beyond into a hunting ground. The gardens gained renown across Europe. Redesigned as a landscape garden in 1789, it incorporated rare botanical specimens curated by Johann von Harrach. Despite its decline in the mid-20th century, extensive restoration since 1999 returned the park to its 1800s splendour. Protected as a significant Austrian landscape garden, it contains diverse wildlife habitats.
