The Beethoven House is located in the historic centre of the Austrian town of Baden. Right next to the Puppet Theatre and the Kurpark, in the heart of the old town, you will find a building dating from the 16th century. The architecture of the house has not changed since then.
The house has only two floors, the façade is cream-coloured and the decoration is baroque. Since the 18th century, this area has been considered one of the most prestigious in the city. Not only aristocrats, but also royalty, such as Empress Maria Theresia of the Habsburg dynasty, all of whom were loyal patrons of Beethoven at the time, stayed in its houses.
When you come to Baden, the Beethoven House is one of the first attractions you will want to visit. Its surroundings are walkable, relatively quiet streets for children to stroll along, although it used to be quite a lively avenue. You'll be reminded that you're about to enter the home of a genius by a plaque on the façade, which has been there since 1872.
Ludwig van Beethoven had three rooms on the first floor, which he occupied for three consecutive summers between 1821 and 1823. Why did this particular town become Beethoven's home for three consecutive years? The composer's robust spirit was notoriously far removed from a robust body, so he travelled to the most famous spas to escape the inexorable onset of deafness.
The spa town of Baden, near Vienna, was famous for its healing waters and Beethoven relied on their miraculous effects. During his stay in Baden, he received many famous contemporaries — critics, composers and other artists.
The rooms contain objects that were somehow connected to the lives and destinies of his guests - a revolver, a fan and a feather. Visitors to Baden's Beethoven House can use the audio guide to learn about the composer's relationships with those around him.
It was here that he completed his legendary Ninth Symphony and the equally beautiful Missa solemnis. The creative genius of the great composer was so intense that he did not always have enough paper to write on.
So as not to miss out on his mercurial muse, he did not waste time buying new sheets of paper, but wrote his notes directly on the window shutters. The landlord was not a fan of the composer and was not impressed by his musical zeal. The landlord was not a fan of the composer's music and was quick to demand compensation for the ruined property.
Unfortunately, the rooms do not retain their original furnishings. The present furniture is the result of a restoration carried out in 1965. Only the walls are original. Nevertheless, the design is authentic and everything seems ready for the next visit of one of the greatest composers of all time.
The bedroom and two rooms — the living room and the study — are open to tourists. Here you can see some authentic pieces of furniture, as well as the composer's authentic archives and documents. In addition to sheet music, there are notebooks used by the deaf Beethoven to communicate with his guests.
Interesting are the notes on his illnesses, from which we learn that (as it turns out!) he washed all prescribed medicines with wine and ate ground lead as an alternative treatment.
There are paintings on the walls of the living room — you can see Beethoven's house, Baden with its baths and walks of the time. There are also all the sketches, drawings, blueprints and other information about the establishment and development of the museum.
Among the relics worth mentioning is a guest book with Beethoven's name and a lock of his blond hair. There is also a cabinet in which each drawer is signed with the day of the week.
There are several towels in the room, and a hat and travelling coat hang on a hook by the door. It gives the impression that the owner of the house has just stepped out and is about to return.
In the middle of one of the rooms is a period piano. It would take a considerable amount of money to restore it and make it a working musical instrument. This is why every visitor can make a donation towards the restoration of the Hammerklavier.
The house also has an antiques shop, so visitors can buy antiques and other curiosities from the past without having to go to the Beethoven House Museum in Baden. Nearby there is an excellent restaurant, Sissi, with reasonable prices, a hospitable owner and delicious food.
