In 1767 the court tenor of the elector of Cologne, Johann van Beethoven, and his wife moved into the garden wing of the house at Bonngasse 20, where Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827) was born.

The accommodation in the house comprised a kitchen and utility room on the ground floor with a cellar underneath. On the floor above were three rooms in which the family lived.

The Beethoven family stayed at this address for a few years before they left to look for larger accommodation in Bonn.

In 1889 the house was bought by the Beethoven-Haus Association and extensively renovated, to reopen in 1893 as a memorial to the composer.

In the 1930s the neighboring house was acquired to hold an archive of documents and memorabilia associated with Beethoven.

In the 1990s the house was again renovated, and a digital Beethoven-Haus was opened in 2004, providing visitors with an interactive experience of Beethoven’s work.

The house today contains the world’s largest private collection of his manuscripts, documents, and diaries.

The museum also holds many portraits of Beethoven as well as musical instruments, furniture, and artifacts used by the composer.

Among the musical instruments in the house’s collection are the organ console from the Minoritenkirche, played by Beethoven as a boy, and his last pianoforte, built by the Viennese manufacturer Conrad Graf.

The museum is completed by a chamber music hall.

Source: Azerbaijan State News Agency