Mozart's Apartment in Wien

After Haydn's humble abode, I can't say as such that I had very high expectations for Mozart's apartment here in Vienna. I was anticipating rows of fake documents, a model of his piano, maybe a mock-up of his living room. I was somewhat pleasantly surprised.

It was enlightening to walk where Mozart had written The Magic Flute. Even more interesting to hear that the museum had, in, fact, been implemented by the Nazi party to preserve some of his history. It was also an uplifting surprise to discover that this was one of the few places we would visit that hadn't been totally destroyed during, and rebuilt after, WWII. I was taken aback to touch (which was somewhat against the rules, what with all the "DO NOT TOUCH" signs hanging around...) Mozart and Constanze's bedroom wall, and to see the faux marble finish that they had woken up to everyday for several years.

While a refreshing change from the diorama-like state of Haydn's home in Eisenstadt, I was still greeted warmly by that word I hold so incredibly dear. "FACSIMILE" donned most of the documents, and I was treated with many a mock-up of what furniture Mozart may have owned.

In this hunt for authentic composer antiquities, one must remember that knowledge may be gleamed from even the most obvious recreation. For instance, Mozart's kitchen chairs reflected his status as an upper middle class citizen. They were padded, making them more luxurious than those of a pauper, but had no arms, making them not so plush as those of a man of great economic importance. I can't say I wasn't disappointed however, to find that Mozart's kitchen had been nicely renovated into a gift shop, where you can purchase a bust of the man himself for only 14 Euros.