The Paracelsus House in the old town marks the connection between Villach and the Renaissance polymath Paracelsus (1493–1541), one of the most important and provocative figures in the history of medicine. Paracelsus spent his formative years in Villach where his father practiced medicine, and the city has claimed him as a local figure ever since.
The building contains a small exhibition on Paracelsus's life, work, and influence, covering his radical break with Galenic medicine, his travels across Europe, and his lasting impact on pharmacology and chemistry. The exhibition is modest in scale but thoughtfully presented. Even visitors unfamiliar with the history of medicine will find the story of this argumentative, brilliant, frequently expelled physician compelling. The house is worth 45 minutes on a morning when the weather keeps you in the old town.