Tanzmeisterhaus Salzburg
The Tanzmeisterhaus first appeared in written records during the year 1617. This building stood on a square now known as Makartplatz, though it was called Hannibalplatz at that time. On the third of August 1711, Johann Lorenz Spöckner received official permission to teach dance lessons for nobles within these walls. The census document from 1713 already labeled this property as the Dance Master's House. His son took ownership of the house from his mother in 1739 and assumed the role of court dancing master. On the twenty-first of November 1747, he served as best man when Leopold Mozart married Anna Maria Pertl.
Leopold and Anna Maria moved their family into a spacious eight-room apartment in 1773. They left behind the cramped home on Getreidegasse where Wolfgang had been born. The new residence included a large hall previously used by the former dancing master for instruction. The Mozarts utilized this hall for teaching music and hosting domestic concerts. They stored keyboard instruments there before selling them to customers. The family also engaged in Bölzlschiessen, shooting airguns at paper targets designed with humorous images. Their daily life unfolded within these rooms until Wolfgang departed for Vienna in 1781.
Wolfgang lived inside the Tanzmeisterhaus between the ages of seventeen and twenty-five. He composed significant works while residing here during the period from 1773 to 1781. His mother passed away in 1778 while still living in Salzburg. His sister Nannerl married in 1784, changing the household dynamic significantly. After her marriage, Leopold lived alone with his servants for several years. From 1785 until his death in 1787, he resided with his grandson Leopold Alois Pantaleon. The young boy had been entrusted to Leopold's care by Nannerl after her husband died.
Aerial bombs destroyed two-thirds of the building during the year 1944. Survivors found only a portion of the structure standing amidst the rubble. Workers restored the late eighteenth-century stucco decoration in the dancing master's hall during 1956 and 1957. Following this restoration, they established a Mozart memorial within that same hall. The Austrian Federal Monuments Office now protects the site as a historical landmark. The damage required extensive reconstruction efforts before the house could serve its future purpose again.
The International Mozarteum Foundation currently manages the Tanzmeisterhaus as a public museum. Visitors view collections of musical instruments and documents from Wolfgang's residence period between 1773 and 1781. A wooden structure known as the Magic Flute House arrived here from Vienna in 2022. This smaller building is said to be where the opera The Magic Flute was composed. The museum displays these items alongside other historical artifacts related to the Mozart family. The location remains open at Makartplatz 8 for those seeking to explore this history.
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Common questions
When did the Tanzmeisterhaus Salzburg first appear in written records?
The Tanzmeisterhaus Salzburg first appeared in written records during the year 1617. This building stood on a square now known as Makartplatz, though it was called Hannibalplatz at that time.
Who received official permission to teach dance lessons within the Tanzmeisterhaus Salzburg in 1711?
Johann Lorenz Spöckner received official permission to teach dance lessons for nobles within these walls on the third of August 1711. The census document from 1713 already labeled this property as the Dance Master's House.
What years did Leopold Mozart and his family reside in the Tanzmeisterhaus Salzburg?
Leopold Mozart and his family moved into the spacious eight-room apartment in 1773 and lived there until Wolfgang departed for Vienna in 1781. Leopold resided with his grandson Leopold Alois Pantaleon from 1785 until his death in 1787.
How much damage did aerial bombs cause to the Tanzmeisterhaus Salzburg in 1944?
Aerial bombs destroyed two-thirds of the building during the year 1944. Survivors found only a portion of the structure standing amidst the rubble before workers restored the late eighteenth-century stucco decoration in 1956 and 1957.
Who currently manages the Tanzmeisterhaus Salzburg museum at Makartplatz 8?
The International Mozarteum Foundation currently manages the Tanzmeisterhaus Salzburg as a public museum. Visitors view collections of musical instruments and documents from Wolfgang's residence period between 1773 and 1781.