Franz Xaver Gruber Gedächtnishaus

About the museum

Franz Xaver Gruber, the composer of the Christmas carol "Silent Night, Holy Night", was born on 25 November 1787 as the fifth of six children of a linen weaver family on the Steinpointsölde in Hochburg. His birthplace had to make way for a new building in 1927. In 1976, a wooden house more than 200 years old was moved from the neighbouring municipality to Hochburg, resembling the birthplace in style and form, and was set up as a local heritage house in memory of Gruber.

The house shows the rural living and working world of the time. The most valuable piece is the loom on which, according to tradition, Gruber learned the weaver's trade; in addition there are a model of the birthplace, the fortepiano on which he practised, and an interactive "Tree of Life" with the stations of his life. The museum also deals with the creation and spread of the song. For the 200th anniversary of "Silent Night" it was renovated and redesigned in 2017/2018; in 2026 it celebrates its 50th anniversary.

In Advent the house comes to life again with baking, weaving, making music and reading aloud. Hochburg-Ach also has the Peace Trail, opened in 2012, with seven bronze sculptures by the sculptor Hubert Flörl, and an annual historical play on the third weekend of Advent. The museum bears the Austrian Museum Seal of Quality.

Highlights

• Loom on which Gruber is said to have learned the weaver's trade
• Model of the birthplace and fortepiano
• Interactive "Tree of Life" on Gruber's life
• Room on the creation and spread of "Silent Night"
• Franz Xaver Gruber Peace Trail with seven sculptures
• Historical play and craft market in Advent

Permanent exhibitions

• Gruber-Gedächtnishaus – Rural living and working world in a wooden house in the style of Gruber's birthplace, with loom, fortepiano and a model of the birthplace.
• Raum zum Lied „Stille Nacht“ und Lebensbaum – Creation and spread of the song, plus an interactive Tree of Life with Gruber's places of work and stations of his life.

Founded

1976

Operated by

Gemeinde Hochburg-Ach und Franz Xaver Gruber Gemeinschaft

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission free for individual visitors; group tours €2 per person.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations

For school classes, a school room "as in the old days": sit at the old school desk, try out wooden games, put on clothes of the era, work at the loom.

Getting there & parking

The museum is in the village centre of Hochburg, which the Ibmer Moor cycle route, a variant of the Tauern cycle route, and the Helmbrechtspfad also pass through.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Museum shop; Stiftsgasthof Hochburg in the village centre.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Weddings / ceremonies

The "Gruber G´wölb", a vaulted room in the abbey building, can be rented together with the Stiftsgasthof for events (reservations: Stiftsgasthof Hochburg, tel. +43 7727 35001).

Plan your visit