Mozart’s Residence

The earliest documentary evidence we have of Mozart’s Residence, also known as the Tanzmeisterhaus (dancing master’s house), dates back to 1617. It consisted of two buildings until 1685. On August 3, 1711 Lorenz Speckner was given permission by decree to hold dancing lessons for the aristocracy in the building. In the 1713 “description of souls” (today’s census) the house was already referred to as the Tanzmeisterhaus. The house was turned over to the highly aristocratic dancing master and “ante camera” valet, Franz Karl Gottlieb Speckner (approx. 1705 - 1767), son of Lorenz, on September 9, 1739. In those days a dancing master played an important role: he not only gave young aristocrats dancing lessons but also prepared them for life at court and was perfectly conversant with the complicated court ceremonial.

On November 15, 1747 Franz Gottlieb Speckner was one of the witnesses to the marriage of Mozart’s parents. The Mozart family had considered moving to a larger residence as early as December 1765; their quarters on the third floor of the Hagenauer House located in today’s Getreidegasse 9 consisted of a kitchen, a chamber and one living room, bedroom and study.

Leopold Mozart wrote to his landlord, Johann Lorenz Hagenauer (1712 - 1792) from the Hague: “For example, where will my daughter sleep? Where will Wolfgang take up his quarters? Where will I find room for him to study and go about his work, which he will be sure to have in abundance? And where will I stay? My children and I should each have his own place so not to trouble the others. Can you possibly have a few more rooms built on?”