Haydn's birthplace

Haydn’s birthplace stands in Rohrau, a village in Lower Austria. The house is a simple farmhouse built around 1728 by Matthias Haydn, a wheelwright who later became village mayor. Matthias and his wife Maria raised several children here, including Joseph Haydn, born on 31 March 1732. His younger brother Michael, also a composer, was born in the same house in 1737. Joseph left at six to study music but returned in 1795, showing lasting affection for the place. The house became a museum in 1959 after the State of Lower Austria restored it to its original state. The rooms display farm furniture from the time, some moved from a nearby village and others from the Lower Austria Museum. Matthias’s former workshop now tells the story of Joseph and Michael Haydn’s early lives. The museum opened on the 150th anniversary of Haydn’s death, marking his lasting legacy. Visitors find the modest rooms filled with period pieces and personal touches from the Haydn family. The workshop where Matthias worked still shows tools of his trade, giving a sense of daily life in the 18th century. The museum quietly honours two composers who began their lives in this quiet village. The building itself, preserved with care, offers a direct link to Haydn’s origins.