Bertramka

Bertramka () is a villa in Prague where Mozart was a frequent guest. Bertramka is now a museum dedicated to the memory of Mozart and to the former owners and Mozart’s hosts: Mr and Mrs Dušek. Bertramka is situated about a mile from the city centre. In the late 18th century it would still have been well outside the walls of the city, beneath the vineyards on the slopes of Černý vrch (Black Hill). Today the villa with its grounds still maintains tranquillity. History of Bertramka It is not known who built Bertramka. The estate had belonged to a Carthusian monastery for several centuries. The present villa was constructed around 1700 and consists of a large home with two-winged staircase and several outbuildings, all surrounded, as now, by a wall. It had been customary for the wealthy inhabitants of Prague to build grand houses for their relaxation not far from the city. These were often combined with agricultural activities. The grounds of Bertramka were certainly used for farming as well as vine culture. It produced fruit, wheat, milk, poultry and vegetables. The villa appears to have got its name around the mid-18th century from Franziska and Franz von Bertram. Bertramka was purcha