Innsbruck Sights and Landmarks Guide, Austria

Due to its location in the mountain region and its rich history, Innsbruck is a widely known tourist attraction in Austria. In fact, majority of the city’s income rests solely on tourism. Aside from its nostalgic historical sites such as castles and churches, Innsbruck Sights is also a popular venue for winter and summer sports.

Innsbruck Sights – Notable Landmarks

Austria was once an oligarchic country. As a result, many castles and palaces were built to house the royalty. Most of them still stand as gloriously as the time they were built and now share equal footing with the majestic Salzburg Sights.

Hofburg. The Imperial Palace, constructed during the reign of King Maximilian I, is one of the prominent historical landmarks in Innsbruck. The highlight of this structure is the Great Hall, added by Maria Theresa in the 18th century. This reception area is ornately covered in gold with a marvelous painting by Franz Anton Maulpertsch on its domed ceiling.

Goldenes Dachl. This late-Gothic mansion has a roof gilded with 2,657 copper tiles. The Golden Roof was built in the 15th century to honor the second marriage of King Maximilian I to Bianca Maria Sforza of Milan. Later, a balcony was added into the structure to function as the King’s box, where the monarch can sit to enjoy watching ongoing tournaments in the square below.

Schloss Ambras. Located in Tirol, this renaissance inspired castle is a culturally and historically significant site. When Archduke Ferdinand II became the provincial sovereign, he ordered the transformation of this once military fortress into a castle for his wife. The castle houses the grand Ambras collections and a museum of the Habsburg family, chief patrons of Ferdinand II.

Innsbruck Sights – Churches and Cathedrals

Having a dominantly Roman Catholic population, it is no surprise to see many churches and cathedrals in Innsbruck. Most of them do not only function as places of worship but also a historically relevant landmark.

Hofkirche. The Gothic style Court Church was built in the mid-16th century by Ferdinand I in memory of his grandfather Maximilian I. This church houses the cenotaph or the tomb monument of Maximilian I surrounded by 28 bronze statues representing his ancestors and 24 reliefs illustrating his accomplishments. The tomb of Andreas Hofer, national hero of Tirol, can also be found here.

Domkirche zu St. Jakob. Built in 1722, this baroque style church is actually St. James’ Cathedral and not St. Jakob’s Cathedral. Its main attraction is the painting of the Madonna by Lucas Cranach the Elder.

Innsbruck Sights – Sports

Situated between high mountains, The Heart of the Alps as it is fondly called, Innsbruck proves to be a perfect place for winter sports and summer sports alike. It hosted the Olympic Winter Games twice, in 1964 and 1976. Innsbruck also transforms into a mountain hiking haven during summer.

Bergisel. It is a hill situated at the south of Innsbruck. It has a ski-jumping facility designed by Zaha Hadid and was used as the site for the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics.

Innsbruck Sights is a mixture of all the wonderful facts behind the city’s history, the people’s love for sports and the community’s respect for religion. Austria have other beautiful areas to explore like Graz Sights.