Nordico Stadtmuseum

City Museum Nordico, a museum that showcases the art, history, and society of Linz and its surroundings. The museum is housed in a remarkable building that has a long and fascinating history of its own. In this article, we will explore the origins, transformations, and features of the Nordico building, as well as the exhibitions and activities that the museum offers to its visitors.

The Origins of the Nordico Building

The Nordico building was originally constructed between 1607 and 1610 as a suburban mansion and farm for the Kremsmünster monastery, a Benedictine abbey founded in 777. The Italian master builder Francesco Silva was responsible for the design and execution of the project, which included a spacious courtyard, a garden, and a chapel. The building was located at the edge of the city, near the Danube river, and served as a retreat and a source of income for the monks.

From 1673 to 1675, the building underwent a major renovation and expansion, led by the architect Johann Michael Prunner. The renovation added a second floor, a new facade, and a ballroom with stucco decorations and frescoes. The ballroom, which is still preserved today, contains remnants of paintings from before the conversion, depicting scenes from the Old Testament and the life of Saint Benedict.

The Nordic Connection

From 1708 to 1786, the building was owned by the Jesuits, a Catholic religious order that was active in education and missionary work. The Jesuits used the building as a boarding school for pupils from Scandinavia, hence the name “Nordico”. The Protestant students from Sweden, Denmark, and Norway were to be raised as Catholics so that they could later serve as missionaries in their Nordic countries. However, this plan did not work out, as no volunteers could be found for this Christian mission. Instead, the Jesuits bought children from the roaming armies’ soldiers and paid for their care with interest from the archbishop’s fund.

The Jesuits also built a church next to the building, inspired by the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. The church was connected to the main building by a subterranean corridor. The church and the connecting wing were demolished by the city of Linz in 1962, when the street was widened. The Nordico building was also cut by a window axis, reducing its size and symmetry.

The Jesuit order was suppressed by Emperor Joseph II in 1773, as part of his reforms to reduce the influence of the Church. The boarding school was closed, and the building was divided into apartments for the general public. The building became home to several notable people, such as the poet Franz Stelzhamer, who lived there in 1845, and Elisabeth Jung, the mother of Goethe’s last girlfriend, Marianne Willemer, who died there in 1844.

The Birth of the Museum

In 1851, the building became the headquarters of the Upper Austrian Art Association, a society founded by the writer and painter Adalbert Stifter and other artists and intellectuals. The association organized exhibitions, lectures, and publications to promote the arts and culture in Upper Austria. The association also collected artworks and artifacts related to the region’s history and heritage.

In 1911, the city of Linz bought the building from the association, with the intention of turning it into a museum. However, this plan was delayed by the First World War and the subsequent economic and political crises. It was not until the 1930s that the museum project was resumed, thanks to the acquisition of the collection of Anton Pachinger, a local historian and collector. Pachinger’s collection consisted of more than 10,000 items, including coins, medals, documents, maps, prints, paintings, and sculptures, covering the history of Linz from the Roman times to the 20th century.

The museum was officially opened in 1933, under the name of “Städtisches Museum Linz”. The museum was later renamed “Nordico” in 1973, to honor its Nordic connection and to distinguish it from other museums in the city. The museum underwent several phases of renovation and expansion from 1959 to 1973, which improved its facilities and increased its exhibition space. The museum also hosted the first Linzer Stuckateure exhibition in 1973, showcasing the work of the local stucco artists who decorated the ceilings and walls of the building.

The Modern Museum

The museum had a general refurbishment from 2007 to 2008, which modernized its infrastructure and design. The museum reopened with an open house on May 18, 2008, featuring the exhibition “Door to Door”, which presented the works of artists from the Egon Hofmann studio building, a former factory that was converted into a creative space for contemporary art.

The museum has a light blue exterior, in the style of the 18th century, and a new signage that announces the museum from a distance. The museum has about 700 m2 of exhibition space, divided into four floors. The museum displays permanent and temporary exhibitions, covering various aspects of the art, history, and society of Linz and Upper Austria. The museum also organizes educational programs, guided tours, workshops, and events for different audiences and interests.

The museum has a cafe and a shop, where visitors can enjoy a drink, a snack, or a souvenir. Since 2010, the museum also hosts the Greek restaurant Orpheus, which is located in the former refectory, the dining room of the Jesuit collegium. The restaurant offers authentic Greek cuisine and a cozy atmosphere.

The museum is situated in a prominent location, at the Simon-Wiesenthal-Platz, a square named after the famous Nazi hunter who was born in Linz.

Linz, Austria