Ever wonder where Schubert was born? Here in Vienna, we stand at Himmelpfortgrund. This area was once the smallest suburb of Alsergrund. Himmelpfortgrund has a rich history dating back centuries.
Let’s journey back to 1254. This area was first known as Sporkenbüchel. The name meant “hard, dry, rough hill”. Fast forward to 1639. The Himmelpfortkloster, located in Himmelpfortgasse, inherited fields and vineyards here. Jakobine Pestalutz bequeathed them in her will. She was the former owner of Pötzleinsdorf.
The Himmelpfortgrund area began developing after 1783. This was when the Himmelpfortkloster was dissolved. The property initially went to the state. In 1825, the city of Vienna purchased Himmelpfortgrund. They paid 62,000 Gulden for it. This purchase granted the city local and manorial rights.
Himmelpfortgrund’s boundaries were defined by several landmarks. These included the Währinger Gürtel, Nussdorfer Straße, and Liechtensteinstraße. It bordered Lichtental, Thurygrund, and Michelbeuerngrund. The Währinger and Nussdorfer Linienwall also marked its edge.
The Vorstadt Himmelpfortgrund had its own seal. It featured a lamb with a flag. This emblem was taken from the Himmelpfortkloster’s seal. The seal’s inscription read “HIMELPFORTGRUND GERICHTS SIGILL”. This seal design influenced Alsergrund’s district coat of arms in 1904.
Himmelpfortgrund’s population and housing grew steadily. In 1766, there were 43 houses. By 1796, this number had increased to 83. The population also grew. There were 2,566 residents in 1783. By 1840, it had risen to 3,772.
The area is known as the “home of the laundresses”. It is even more famous as the “Schubertgrund”. Franz Schubert’s birthplace is located on Nussdorfer Straße 54. The house was then called Zum Roten Krebsen. Schubert was born here in 1797. He was the twelfth of fourteen children. His family lived here until 1801. They then moved to their own house in Säulengasse.
Today, a museum stands in Schubert’s birthplace. It documents his life, musical development, and circle of friends. Exhibits include a pair of his spectacles. You can see portraits of the composer in one of the rooms.
So, as we stand here in Himmelpfortgrund, we remember its past. From Sporkenbüchel to Schubert’s home, this area has shaped Vienna’s history. It is a place of culture, music, and heritage.