The Eroica House trip, Heilegenstadt

I could've spent years in the woods at Heiligenstadt. No one could blame Beethoven for being inspired to write so many works here. Winding paths past vineyards and fields of mustard made for easily the most refreshing and inspiring day we had in the latter half of our European adventure. Our ramble took us past Beethoven's monument, where we marveled at how differently he was portrayed from his colleague Mozart. Solid and handsome. An epic portrayal of masculinity, he was the staunch opposite to the lithe, airy, pretty boy Mozart. We ended up at the Eroica House, where Beethoven wrote his third symphony, among other works.

Setting aside the fact that yet again, no one can prove whether or not Beethoven actually set foot inside this tiny apartment, and that like most Viennese homes apparently, it had been ravaged by fire several times over the years since Beethoven had "lived" there, it housed several interesting antiques. Beethoven's key plate and doorknob were proudly on display along with a copy of his death mask (a startling opposite to the proud limestone effigy we had seen earlier in the day with it's sunken eyes and barren cheekbones). A view of his backyard from the second story, vineyards and lush woodland stretching on beyond made us realize how easily it must have been to be inspired by this green oasis.

In contrast, we learned some about the Heiligenstadt Testament, his famous unfounded "last words", written in a proposed suicide letter to his brother. Fortunately, he never acted upon this dark impulse, but the letter he intended to leave behind gives us an insight into a mind we might otherwise view as a fonte of talent and nothing else. In all actuality, Beethoven was a troubled soul, never marrying, losing his hearing at such a young age, the man we view as an almost perfect talent, at at least one point in his life, felt unworthy of existence. It's hard to imagine. And all that for the low, low price of one Euro.