Innsbruck's Hofburg and Hofkirche

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The Emperor Maximilian I, who reigned in the late 1400s and early 1500s, made Innsbruck the main residence and the seat of the Hapsburg government and, as a result, a focal point of Europe

Description

His palace, the Hofburg, was remodeled by Empress Maria Theresa in 18th-century Baroque and Rococo styles. Highlights of a tour are the chance to view the sumptuous royal apartments, the marble Giant Hall (Riesensaal), and the painted ceilings throughout.

The highlight of the Hofkirche, or Court Church, is the spectacular Tomb of Emperor Maximilian I, who died in 1519. Widely considered the finest work of German Renaissance sculpture, the monument's central feature is the massive black marble sarcophagus with a bronze figure of the Emperor. On the sides of the sarcophagus are 24 marble reliefs depicting events in the Emperor's life, and around it stand 28 larger-than-life-size bronze statues of the Emperor's ancestors and contemporaries (look out for King Arthur).

Other pieces of sculpture include 23 bronze statues of saints from the Habsburg family and 20 bronze busts of Roman emperors.

Another landmark of Hapsburg Innsbruck is the Goldenes Dachl, or Golden Roof, in the Old Town. This ornate residence is known for its magnificent Late Gothic oriel window, roofed with gilded tiles and now a museum of Innsbruck history.

Address: Rennweg 1/3, 6020 Innsbruck

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