Tour through Innsbruck
Triumphal Arch
Our tour through Innsbruck starts at the southern end of Maria-Theresien-Street at the Triumphal Arch. The Triumphal Arch was built on orders of Maria Theresa to celebrate her son's, Leopold's, wedding to the Spanish princess Maria Ludovica. The marble relief on the southern side depicting this happy event was designed by Balthasar Moll in 1774, the northern side depicts the death of Leopold's father, Francis I, who died during the wedding ceremony.
From the arch we will walk further north to the impressive Former Federal State Parliament on the right.
Former Federal State Parliament
The great Baroque building of the Former Federal State Parliament was built between 1725 and 1728 by the Imperial builder Georg Anton Gumpp. The staircase leading to the first and second floor is worth a visit; statues and busts of antique deities are placed in the niches built into the wall of the staircase. Also worth seeing is the Baroque St. George's Chapel in the parliament's courtyard which was dedicated in 1730 to honor one of Tyrol's two patron saints. Just a few steps further north is St. Anna's Column.
Tour through Innsbruck
St. Anna's Column
St. Anna's Column in the middle of Maria-Theresien-Street was donated by the Tyrolean Estates on 26 July 1703 - St. Anna's day - as a sign of gratitude for saving Tyrol from the Bavarian invasion. The Corinthian red marble column is surmounted by a statue of Maria Immaculata standing on a crescent. The base is surrounded by saints designed by the sculptor Christoforo Benedetti from Trentino. Further north, at the end of Maria-Theresien-Street, we will get to the Hospital
Church.
Hospital Church in Maria-Theresien-Street
The church is named after the town's former hospital and blends in naturally with the houses of Maria-Theresien-Street. The church in its present form was designed by Johann Martin Gumpp. It was opened in 1701 and boasts Baroque stucco decorations. We will now cross the former moat and walk into Innsbruck's well-preserved medieval Old Town. A street named after Duke Frederick IV - Herzog-Friedrich- Straße - will take us to the City Tower.
City Tower
The City Tower was built between 1442 and 1450 as an extension to the town hall to make it visible from far away. The tower is surmounted by a cupola which was added one hundred years later. A tower guard lived in the flat just below until the 1960s. Exactly 148 steps lead to a stunning view of Innsbruck and the surrounding mountains. When leaving the City Tower, we will see Innsbruck's trademark, the Golden Roof, to our right.
Golden Roof
The Golden Roof, Innsbruck's most characteristic landmark, is situated in the middle of the medieval Old Town. On the orders of Emperor Maximilian I, the splendid balcony with 2,657 fire-gilded copper tiles was added to Archduke Friedrich IV's residence. The stone relief on the balcony shows Maximilian's wives, Mary of Burgundy and Bianca Maria Sforza, amid wild, acrobatic dancers. The Golden Roof also houses the namesake museum (enjoy the fine view from the balcony) portraying Maximilian's time, for example, with a fifteen-minute movie and it is home to the headquarters of the 'Permanent Secretariat of the Alpine Convention'. Right next to the Golden Roof is the lavishly decorated Helbling House. Helbling House
The late medieval house, where Sebastian Helbling ran a coffee house in the 19th century, was embellished with delicate stucco work by Anton Gigl in 1730. Enchanting acanthaceae leaves, fruits, shells, putti, masks and more ornaments decorate the walls up to the fourth floor and the large Baroque gable. After visiting the Golden Roof, we will enter Hofgasse in the east to get to the Imperial Castle and its large, splendid courtyard after just a few steps.
Imperial Palace
The Imperial Palace was built at the end of the 15th century and reconstructed under Maria Theresa to become a monumental late Baroque residence. The numerous exhibition halls are equipped with antique furniture and paintings and with the giant hall include the Alps' most splendid banqueting hall. The recently refurbished rooms can now again be seen in all its splendour and allow us to have a close look at imperial life in the past. The Alpine Club Museum with is exhibition 'Mountains - an incomprehensible passion' has also found its preliminary home at the Imperial Palace. If we continue further east along Hofgasse, walk through the former City Gate and leave the Old Town, we will reach the Court Church Tour through Innsbruck
Court Church
The Court Church holds the unique (empty) tomb of Emperor Maximilian I who had a great influence on Innsbruck and is actually buried in Wiener Neustadt. The 28 life-sized bronze statues were completed only 30 years after Maximilian's death. They were designed and cast in bronze by time’s foremost artists, for example Albrecht Dürer. As the statues were not transferred to Wiener Neustadt, they were instead erected in Innsbruck's Court Church which was built between 1553 and 1563. Archduke Ferdinand II and his bourgeois wife Philippine Welser are buried in the Silver Chapel inside the Court Church. Andreas Hofer's remains were brought here from Mantua in 1823 and entombed in the Court Church. Right next to the Court Church is the Tyrolean Folk Art Museum. Court Church and museum can be visited separately or they can be visited together with a combined ticket.
Museum of Tyrolean Folk Art
The museum's building was built between 1553 and 1563 by Franciscan monks as 'New Monastery' and since 1929 has exhibited one of the Alps most important folk art collections. In 2008/2009, the museum got a complete makeover and a new look. The diverse exhibitions now comprise 'Gospel Miniatures' (cribs), 'Year Full to Bursting', 'Perilous Life', 'Illusion and Reality' (traditional costumes), the collection of studies and the parlours (Stuben). And there is an impressive preview to prepare the visitors for their visit of the Court Church.
Also on Universitätsstraße, just a few minutes east of the museum and the church, is the Jesuit Church.
Jesuit Church
The early Baroque church was built in the 17th century for the Jesuit monks who had served in Innsbruck since 1561. The grave of Archduke Leopold II and his family is also in the church. Famous Jesuit monks, like Professor Karl Rahner, are also buried in the crypt.
From the Jesuit Church we will walk back west along Universitätsstraße and turn right in front of the Imperial Palace to visit Leopold's fountain.
Leopold's Fountain
Leopold's Fountain is situated on Rennweg opposite of the Imperial Palace. The equestrian statue on top is the oldest surviving depiction of a rearing horse north of the Alps. Its rider, Archduke Leopold V (1619 - 1632), is surrounded by some goddesses of hunting and sea deities which were cast in bronze according to the drafts of Caspar Gras. Further north, past Leopold's fountain and the Tyrolean State Theater we will reach the Imperial Gardens which once belonged to the Imperial Palace.
Imperial Gardens
The fine Imperial Gardens were designed in the early 15th century and haven been open to the public since the 19th century. In the middle of the park is a pavilion where concerts take place in summer. With two outdoor chess boards which can be used throughout the whole year, many benches, a playground and a cafe there is something for everyone in the park. In 1957, a monument in honor of Archduke Eugen was erected according to the plans of Clemens Holzmeister. After the Imperial Gardens we will walk back to the Imperial Palace and walk through the right gate of the Imperial Palace towards Innsbruck's cathedral.
Tour through Innsbruck
St. James Cathedral
The lavishly decorated Baroque cathedral was built between 1717 and 1724 on the site of earlier churches. On the high altar, you can admire the miraculous image 'Mariahilf' painted by Lukas Cranach the Elder; the ceiling frescos and the stucco work were done by the Asam brothers. Every day at 12.12 pm, the bells of the northern tower chime Innsbruck's peace tune. The tomb of Archduke Maximilian III, the Grandmaster of the Teutonic Order, had already been erected in the previous church in 1629. Please avoid sightseeing tours or taking pictures
during church services. From the cathedral, we will continue along Pfarrgasse to the left and then turn right into Badgasse to visit Innsbruck's City Museum.
Innsbruck City Museum - City Archives
The City Museum's permanent exhibition shows samples from the City Archives and tells you more about Innsbruck's history. Topics and themes which are unique to and typical for Innsbruck are covered in detail: topography, foundation, princely residence, city development, traffic, health, culture, sports, tourism, commerce, trade, drinking water supply and contemporary history are just some of them. Many paintings of famous Tyrolean artists, city views, panorama paintings, historic photographs, rare exhibits, medieval documents, posters and postcards give an interesting and informative insight into the town's and its inhabitants' life.
We will leave the City Museum through the main entrance or walk past the City Museum to reach Herzog-Otto-Straße at the river banks. If we walk further west, we will get to the entrance of the Old Town and see the Ottoburg with its red- white-red window shutters opposite of the bridge.
Ottoburg
The ancient building which is overgrown by wild wine was built next to the city wall in the 15th century as ordered by Maximilian I replacing Andechs castle. For centuries the Ottoburg has been housing an excellent restaurant and wine bar. To the right-hand side of Ottoburg is the Claudiana building.
Claudiana
Claudiana, a former government building, is named after Claudia de Medici who reigned Tyrol in the 17th century. The building was constructed in the 17th century on the orders of Claudia de Medici. The banqueting hall with a wooden Renaissance ceiling (accessible only during events) was also built back then. The portraits of different counts resemble their models at the tomb of Maximilian I in the Imperial Church. Opposite of Claudiana is our last stop on our city tour - Gasthaus Goldener Adler.
Goldener Adler
An inn existed on this site as early as 600 years ago and now it is still one of the best hotels in town. Many famous women and men have stayed at 'Goldener Adler' over the centuries, for example Johann Wolfgang Goether, Wolfgang Amadeus, Mozart, Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, John Glenn etc. At the end of our tour, you can visit one of the many cafés, pastry shops, inns or restaurants in Innsbruck's Old Town and sample a cup of tea or a tasty meal.