Best of Innsbruck | the must-see attractions
Innsbruck is a quiet Austrian town just forty kilometers from the Italian border. It’s a place you can explore calmly in three or four days and the first stop for a longer tour of Austria for those who enjoy traveling. But what are the absolutely must-see tourist attractions in Innsbruck? Keep on reading and you will figure them out!
The Golden Roof
This is by far the most famous monument in Innsbruck, as well as its symbol of excellence. The Emperor Maximilian I built the roof in the old residence of Archduke Friedrich IV on the occasion of his wedding and he did play well in 2657 with gold-plated bronze tiles. Inside is the Golden Roof Museum where you can see various objects and documents related to the history of Maximilian I.
The Imperial Palace
This beautiful mansion was the first residence of the counts of Tyrol and later of Maximilian and Maria Theresa of Austria. The palace can be visited every day from 9:00 to 17:00, with last admission at 16:30 and the tickets cost €6. The interiors consist of 27 rooms in which it is prohibited to take pictures. The room is certainly the most spectacular ballroom with several portraits of the imperial family and of Maria Theresa.The Throne Room and the royal apartments are worth exploring.
Civic Tower
Climbing along this 51 -meter-tall tower, it is possible to admire the beautiful view and the central square with the Golden Roof from above; the entrance to the tower costs € 3 and the climb is not particularly strenuous.
Court Church
This church houses the empty sarcophagus of Maximilian I, considered to be the most important and impressive funerary monument in Europe. It consists in fact of a vacuum above the sarcophagus which represented the emperor on his knees and 28 black statues that surround it and which depict the most illustrious personages of the time. The Church of the Court is open Monday to Saturday from 9:00 to 17:00 and Sundays and holidays from 12:30 to 17:00 (July and August until 17:30) and the entry is free.
Basilica and Monastery Wilten
Out of the city center you can find these two beautiful monuments. The first has a baroque façade with two towers and interiors where pale pink is the dominant color while the second is flamboyant with its red façade. Its interior colours range from pink to black.
Innsbruck photos by: john, sarah, magaciappi, yoav, angel, bernard