House of the Heiligenstadt Testament

The House of the Heiligenstadt Testament is a biographical museum housed in a residential building that documents Beethoven's years in Vienna. The rooms display handwritten musical scores, personal items, and letters that shed light on his life and creative work.

The composer wrote a personal letter here in 1802 describing his suffering from his increasing deafness while he was simultaneously working on his most important works. This moment marked a turning point in his life and artistic development.

The house preserves the place where Beethoven wrote about his deepest struggles with his failing hearing and searched for meaning in his suffering. Visitors today can sense the personal connection to the composer who poured his heart into these pages.

The museum is located in a quiet residential neighborhood and is easily reached by public transport or on foot from other cultural sites. The exhibition is laid out in a straightforward way and can be explored in about one to two hours.

The basement of the building still contains original workshops and rooms from Beethoven's era that are rarely photographed or publicly displayed. These hidden spaces offer an unexpected glimpse into everyday life during that period.