Nearly all historic concert venues in Vienna can lay claim to one or other composer having once played there. In the case of the Deutschordenshaus, two actually lived there – including a promising musician named Mozart. (I wonder what became of him?)
- Home to the Teutonic Order in Austria
- Mozart stayed here in 1781 (and Brahms later)
- Hosts regular concerts by the Mozart Ensemble
- See also:
Historical background
The house and courtyards of the Deutschordenshaus belong to the Deutscher Orden (Teutonic Order) and date as far back as the early 13th century, just a few years after the order’s establishment in 1190 in Acre (now in modern-day Israel).
Needless to say, the buildings have all undergone one or two changes in the meantime – much of what you see from the outside is 17th and 18th century in design.
As the headquarters of the Austrian branch of the order, this remains a working institution with its own church and treasury.
The on-site guest house might also interest you, given it counts among the places to stay that are closest to the centre of Vienna.
Brahms lived in the Deutschordenshaus briefly, but the main musical connection comes through Hieronymus von Colloredo, the Archbishop of Salzburg, who stayed here in 1781. His retinue of employees included a certain W. Mozart.
Colloredo failed to approve of Mozart performing outside of the Archbishop’s residence, which didn’t sit well with a young composer growing in fame and looking to make his mark in the big city and wider world.
The resulting arguments eventually ended with Colloredo’s steward kicking (literally and figuratively) Mozart out of the door. Fortunately, the Archbishop’s loss was our gain.
With connections to Salzburg now severed, Mozart remained in Vienna and the rest is, as they say, history. A plaque just inside the entrance on the right-hand wall commemorates his stay; you can just about see it without going inside.
Over 200 years later and Mozart’s back, so to speak.
The concerts
At the time of writing, a chamber music ensemble and pianist perform in the Deutschordenshaus throughout the year (the former dressed in period costume). The program features the music of those composers closely associated with Vienna, including Mozart, but also Beethoven, Schubert, Haydn, and others.
A notable feature of these concerts is the location: the Sala Terrena room, with its walls and domed ceiling covered in 18th-century frescoes.
To reach the Sala Terrena, you have to pass through a lovely old courtyard with one of Stephansdom cathedral‘s towers rising above the walls – it looks particularly imposing at night, when the tower lights up.
Buy tickets online from the ensemble’s website, for example. Concerts are typically held in the evening, Thursday through Sunday, with additional dates across the Christmas and New Year period.
NB: I’ve seen the concerts advertised as being in the “Mozarthaus” or “Mozart’s House”, so be careful when looking for it. The term Mozarthaus is commonly used for the museum on Domgasse; you want the house on Singerstraße.
How to get to the Deutschordenshaus
As mentioned, the venue is close to the main cathedral and actually only a street away from that Mozarthaus Museum.
Carry on up Singerstraße away from the centre and you reach another musical landmark: Schubert used to drop into the Zu den 3 Hacken inn for a bit of refreshment between compositions.
Subway: Take the U1 or U3 lines to Stephansplatz station and the Kärntner Straße pedestrian exit pops you out at the end of Singerstraße.
Bus: Take the 1A, 2A or 3A to Stephansplatz and it’s a 5 minute or so walk.
Address: Singerstraße 7, 1010 Vienna