Mozarthaus Vienna
The building at Domgasse 5 rose from the earth in the seventeenth century with only two floors. A major redevelopment in 1716 expanded the structure before Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ever set foot inside. The family known as Camesina owned the property starting in 1720 and gave it that name for decades. When Mozart rented rooms here beginning in 1784, the original entrance facing Schulerstraße was walled up to make room for a shop. Visitors today enter through the rear of the house on Domgasse instead of the front door used by the composer.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart lived within these walls from 1784 until his death in 1787. This apartment stands as the largest and most expensive residence he ever occupied during his Viennese years. He composed his opera The Marriage of Figaro while walking the halls of this specific home. Three of the six Haydn Quartets also emerged from his work within these four rooms and two cabinets. An impressive flute clock sits on display today and plays a variation of the Andante in F for a Small Mechanical Organ. Experts believe the clockmaker created the instrument around 1790 for Mozart or a similar device.
The year 1941 marked the opening of Mozart's former rooms to the public under Nazi rule. Officials organized an event called Imperial German Mozart Week to honor him as a typically German composer. This political narrative ignored his actual polyglot lifestyle and international connections. The exhibition ran until 1945 when the Vienna Museum took over its management. Visitor numbers remained relatively modest at approximately 80,000 people per year despite the prime location near St. Stephen's Cathedral.
Wien Holding company undertook a total renovation of the property starting in 2004. The project finished just in time for Mozart Year 2006 which celebrated the 250th anniversary of his birth. The entire building including an expanded basement became a center dedicated to the composer's life and work. Audio-visual installations now combine with historical exhibits to present information about the man behind the music. Three hundred forty thousand people visited the museum during its first three years after reopening. Attendance reached about 215,000 visitors by 2019.
The structure contains five floors with private apartments located on the top level. The fourth floor down to the second basement belongs to the museum and serves as event rooms. A Business Lounge occupies the fourth floor featuring restored wall paintings alongside modern coverings. Furniture from Roche Bobois fills these spaces along with a portrait by Austrian artist Oskar Stocker. The third floor displays multimedia installations showing all places where Mozart lived during his Viennese years. Visitors can look through peepholes at a stylized scene of Graben square showing refined gentlemen and ladies of easy virtue.
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Common questions
When did Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart live in the building at Domgasse 5?
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart lived within these walls from 1784 until his death in 1787. The family known as Camesina owned the property starting in 1720 and gave it that name for decades before he rented rooms here.
What famous works did Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart compose while living at Mozarthaus Vienna?
He composed his opera The Marriage of Figaro while walking the halls of this specific home. Three of the six Haydn Quartets also emerged from his work within these four rooms and two cabinets.
How many visitors attended the museum during its first three years after reopening in 2006?
Three hundred forty thousand people visited the museum during its first three years after reopening. Attendance reached about 215,000 visitors by 2019 following a total renovation undertaken by Wien Holding company starting in 2004.
Which floor contains the Business Lounge with restored wall paintings at Mozarthaus Vienna?
A Business Lounge occupies the fourth floor featuring restored wall paintings alongside modern coverings. Furniture from Roche Bobois fills these spaces along with a portrait by Austrian artist Oskar Stocker.
When was the building at Domgasse 5 originally constructed and when did it expand to include more floors?
The building rose from the earth in the seventeenth century with only two floors before a major redevelopment in 1716 expanded the structure. The current structure contains five floors with private apartments located on the top level.