In the early 18th century, the little wooden house of a wine merchant, surrounded by vineyards, was converted into a beautiful vacation resort that was given the name of one of its owners, Franz de Bertram. In 1784 it was acquired by composer František Xaver Dušek and his wife, the Czech opera singer Josephine. Both were close friends of the Mozart family and were renowned for their hospitality and their close ties to the contemporary artistic milieu. The villa stepped into history when it welcomed on various occasions the famous Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who finished his opera Don Giovanni in it, before its premiere at the Nostitz theater (today’s Estates Theater) in 1787.

Converted into a museum since 1956, the place is entirely devoted to the genius composer. The exact sequence of his various stays is described in detail: wood engravings, manuscripts, letters, scores and period music instruments are nicely displayed in rooms beautifully furnished in 18th century bourgeois style. You can for instance visit “Mozart’s room”, with partly original Baroque decoration, where Mozart and his wife supposedly slept. The highlights of the collection are a harpsichord on which Mozart played… and a lock of his hair, religiously preserved and put on display!

The music agenda is as you might expect entirely devoted to W.A. Mozart’s work, including for the most part chamber music concerts in the villa or in the garden in the summer. And every time, the magic of the place does its work, in this site that occupies a major position in the history of European music.

The villa Bertramka is temporally closed.