Purbach is located at the western shores of Neusiedler See, the only steppe lake in Central Europe, and the only lake without natural outflow in Europe.

It was Feketeváros, Sopron, Hungary prior to the breakup of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Settlement in Purbach can be traced to the 6th century BCE.

During Roman times, it lay on the famous amber trade route.

In 1918, the city changed from Feketeváros, Sopron, Hungary to present day Purbach am Neusiedlersee, Burgenland, Austria.