The famous violin maker Matthias Klotz, was baptized on June 11, 1653 in Mittenwald´s St. Peter and Paul Catholic church, South Bavaria, Germany.
A bronze statue of Klotz, in tribute as a violin making of Mittenwald, stands in front of Mittenwald's landmark St. Peter and Paul's Church at the mouth of the narrow street leading to the Violin-Making Museum (Geigenbaumuseum).
Son of Urban Klotz (Vrbanus Cloz, 1627–1691), a tailor and his wife Sophia (?-1681). He died in Mittenwald at age 90 on August 16, 1743 as a highly respected man – in Mittenwald documents he was repeatedly described as a world renown lute and violin maker – and is buried in the cemetery of the St. Nikolaus Church.
The Geigen Museum, Mittenwald Ballenhausgasse 3
A bronze statue of Klotz, in tribute as a violin making of Mittenwald, stands in front of Mittenwald's landmark St. Peter and Paul's Church at the mouth of the narrow street leading to the Violin-Making Museum (Geigenbaumuseum).
Son of Urban Klotz (Vrbanus Cloz, 1627–1691), a tailor and his wife Sophia (?-1681). He died in Mittenwald at age 90 on August 16, 1743 as a highly respected man – in Mittenwald documents he was repeatedly described as a world renown lute and violin maker – and is buried in the cemetery of the St. Nikolaus Church.
The Geigen Museum, Mittenwald Ballenhausgasse 3
Mathias Klotz became interested in music and instruments at early childhood. At the age of 12 in the years 1672 - 1678 took apprenticeship with master Giovanni Railich (Johann Railich), an Italian lute maker at Bottega di Lautaro al Santo in Padua, Italy. In 1683 Klotz, a skilled lute and violin maker returned prosperous to Mittenwald and established his own workshop. Matthias Klotz did not really build his instruments according to the classical Italian style but rather made them similar to those of masters from Fussen (a town in Bavaria) and Swabian (Southern Germany). Certain elements of his violins reflect the style of the Tyrolean master luthier Jacob Stainer.
Geigenbaumuseum in Mittenwald, Bavaria
The museum, situated in a beautiful square near the parish church, pays tribute to one of the oldest industries of Mittenwald - making violins, of which even Mozart possessed an example!
Window of Geigenbaumuseum in Mittenwald, Bavaria
The rooms are well set out so that you can view these ancient and not-so-ancient string instruments from all angles; there is a room furnished like a workshop of 100 years ago. The best part was the old films that were shown, the oldest being from 1924.
Source text: Wikipedia, www.tripadvisor.com
