The narrow Götreidegasse is one of the most interesting streets in old Salzburg. The medieval houses house many different shops, and it is a pleasure to look at their ancient wrought iron signs. Also on this street, a venerable old lady named Maria has been working for almost 30 years.
And in house number nine on this street, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born on 27 January 1756. On the fourth floor, where the Mozart family lived for about 17 years, there is now a museum, where you can see the only lifetime portrait of the great composer, his first musical instruments and much more.
The foundations of this house were laid in the XII century, when the area was allocated for a monastery garden. In the 15th century it was the home of the court apothecary, whose coat of arms - the famous snake, which is the symbol of the mythological physician Aesculapus, is still preserved above the main entrance. From 1703, the house was owned by the noble Hagenauer family, who were friends of Leopold Mozart, the composer's father, who moved in immediately after his marriage in 1747.
The Mozarts occupied only 4 rooms, as well as the kitchen, the furnishings of which have been preserved in pristine condition. The museum itself was opened in 1880 and took over the two lower floors. The first musical instruments on which the young composer had just begun to play, including his violin and harpsichord, are now on display. The third floor is dedicated to numerous operas composed by Mozart, including The Magic Flute, one of the great composer's last works, which was staged shortly before his death in 1791. The museum displays the clavichord on which Mozart worked while composing this opera.
The Mozart Museum in Salzburg also houses many documents and portraits from that time. Of particular note is the only lifetime portrait of the composer and an amazing portrait of his mother, Anna Maria Pertl.
