Bertramka - Museum of W. A. Mozart and the Dušek Family

The present villa, which features a large home with a two-winged staircase and several outbuildings, was constructed around 1700. It was typical for wealthy Prague inhabitants to build such grand houses for relaxation, often combined with agricultural activities and vineyard culture.

The estate on which Bertramka is located belonged to a Carthusian monastery for several centuries prior to the construction of the present villa.

The villa appears to have gotten its name around the mid-18th century from Franziska and Franz von Bertram, who were likely owners or associated with the property.

In 1784, František Dušek and his wife Josefa Dušková purchased Bertramka. For the next 15 years, it became a prominent meeting place for artists and aristocrats, hosting weekly concerts during the summer.

From 1784, Bertramka served as a vibrant social hub for many great artists and noble aristocrats who gathered for soirées and social gatherings, with weekly concerts held during the summer months.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a frequent guest at Bertramka during his visits to Prague. He likely stayed there during his second visit in October-November 1787 and again in the summer of 1791.

During his autumn 1787 visit to Prague, Mozart worked on finishing the composition of Don Giovanni at Bertramka, finding relaxation from the skittles in the garden and his work.

Mozart composed at least three arias for Josefa Dušková: 'Bella mia fiamma' in 1787, 'Io ti lascio, o cara, addio' possibly in 1791, and 'Non piu di fiori', which she frequently included in her concerts.

Following František Dušek's death in 1799, the property changed hands several times over the subsequent decades. Josefa Dušková sold Bertramka due to financial hardship.

In 1838, Lambert Popelka, a great admirer of Mozart, purchased Bertramka. He later contacted Mozart's son Karl Thomas Mozart in 1856 to have a bust of Mozart placed in the garden.

In 1887, Lambert Popelka organized a memorial gathering to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first performance of Don Giovanni, attended by Antonín Dvořák.

Lambert Popelka stipulated in his will that the two rooms occupied by Mozart should be preserved as a shrine. Bertramka remained in the hands of the Popelka family until 1918.

After further changes in ownership, Bertramka received a state grant in 1929 and became part of the Mozart Society in the Czech Republic.

Reconstruction of Bertramka took place gradually. In 1956, an exhibition was established to commemorate the bicentenary of Mozart's birth, featuring memorabilia and instruments.

In 1986, Jitka Snížková, President of the Mozart Society, donated Bertramka to the state. Following her death, this donation was contested, leading to the museum's closure.

The museum was closed on November 1, 2009, after a 14-year legal battle concerning the villa's ownership following its contested donation to the state.

Following a legal victory for the Mozart's Society, Bertramka was returned to them on November 26, 2009. With international support, the museum reopened on July 6, 2010.