In this house in a fashionable district of Vienna, Johann Strauss lived for seven years and composed “The Blue Danube” - the famous waltz that became practically the unofficial anthem of Austria.
Today, this elegant building on Praterstraße houses a museum dedicated to the great composer. Its interiors recreate the atmosphere of the 19th century. Many unique exhibits are on display here, for example, musical instruments that belonged to Strauss, paintings depicting him as a composer, musician, and conductor, antique furniture, sheet music of waltzes, polkas, and quadrilles, and other items related to the musician's personal life, which, incidentally, was quite eventful. Strauss was married three times and fell in love many times. One of his lovers was the Russian socialite Olga Smirnitskaya. It was to her that he dedicated the waltz with the intriguing title “Minx.”
In addition, Strauss was quite a gambler - he played cards and billiards, and also drew caricatures. All of these pursuits are also represented in the museum's collection.
You can also see exhibits dedicated to the entire Strauss musical family here: his father and his two brothers, Josef and Eduard.
