Beethoven-Gedenkstätte im Hafnerhaus

Ludwig van Beethoven spent the summer months of 1819, and presumably also the ones of the years before, in Moedling, 79, Hauptstrasse , in the so-called “Potter’s House“.

The Great Master was captivated by Moedling’s charming and romantic environment, and so he rented three rooms on the first floor of the right wing of master craftsman Jakob Tuschek’s house overlooking the yard. The place must have been very basic as Beethoven brought along his own furniture, including an English grand piano, from Vienna. This grand piano was a present from his admirer Thomas Broadwood, who was a member of the famous piano manufactory John Broadwood & Sons, London.

These were the circumstances for Beethoven working on the Sonata for pianoforte in B flat major (opus 106), the Diabelli - Variations (opus 120), the Moedlinger Taenze (also called Bruehler Taenze or Wiener Taenze) and finally on one of his greatest works, the Missa Solemnis, opus 123, which took him several years to finish.

Beethoven was so fascinated by the scenic attractions of the countryside, that for some time he was considering buying a house in Moedling, an idea which he never realized.

In the year 1820 Beethoven was forced to look for a new place for the summer as “on account of his strange behavior” he was refused further accommodation at the “Potter’s House”. At this point Beethoven’s connection with 79, Hauptstrasse was cut.

You can contact us by calling +43 2236 24159 (District Museum Mödling) or +43 2236 45448 (tourist guide Rikki Fida).