Baden

Baden bei Wien’s spa and musical histories meet in the house at Rathausgasse 10. Beethoven stayed there during the summers of 1821, 1822 and 1823 and worked on substantial parts of his Ninth Symphony. The Beethovenhaus museum presents this connection through the composer’s former rooms, surviving wall decoration and displays devoted to his music.

Performance remains part of the town’s cultural life through Bühne Baden, whose venues include the Stadttheater, Sommerarena and Max-Reinhardt-Foyer. Its programme embraces operetta, musicals and concerts. The Sommerarena, built in 1906 to designs by Rudolf Krausz, has a movable glass roof and underwent extensive renovation in 2021–2023. Baden bei Wien is also part of the Great Spa Towns of Europe, inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2021. The museum and theatres give a continuing musical presence to that historic resort environment.