Five things to see in Innsbruck, “Capital of the Alps”

A Innsbruck, there are so many things to see and so many experiences to have, but I have selected five things to see in Innsbruck for lovers of the Alps.

In fact, we are going to Innsbruck for several reasons. You may want to discover the monumental part. This city is a real architectural pearl. You can find all the typical styles of Austrian cities there. You may want to discover its Tyrolean soul. Yes, Innsbruck is the capital of Tyrol and its whole history is linked to this land. One can want to discover the gastronomy in one of the many restaurants in the city.

But we can also and above all discover what a capital of the Alps is, because this is the nickname given to the city ofInnsbruck.

So, the five things to see in Innsbruck that I have chosen are a mix of all of these, but at each moment, they will make you look up and connect with the Alpes.

Have a nice walk in Innsbruck, discovering the city and the most beautiful viewpoints of the Tyrolean mountains.

1. The Innbrücke – the bridge over the Inn
2. Triumphforte – the Arc de Triomphe
3. Innsbrucker Hofgarten – the residence garden
4. Ambras Castle
5. Bergiselschanze – the Bergisel Olympic ski jump

The Innbrücke, the bridge over the Inn in the heart of Innsbruck

A city crossed by a river always has charm, and this for several reasons. First, because the river brings space and perspective even in the densest city. Suddenly, the noise of the cars fades, the gaze leaves the buildings and wanders along the vegetated banks. The eye lets itself be transported on the more or less rapid waters of the watercourse. Then because a river tells stories, even when it is not navigable.

This is the case of the Inn, the river that runs through Innsbruck. It tells a beautiful story from the lakes of Upper Engadine in Switzerland, Saint Moritz, the beautiful villages of Zuoz, Zernez, Tarasp Castle, Landeck at the crossroads of the roads to Italy and Vorarlberg, then the beautiful Stams Abbey, Innsbruck and then gently marking the border between Germany and Austria until its confluence with the Danube at Passau. A beautiful story of more than 500 km that you witness on this bridge.

But if I offer you this meeting on Innbrücke, it is mainly to admire the landscape. The Inn separates you from a row of colorful houses lined up along the opposite bank, the Mariahilfstrasse.

Formerly, this strip of houses marked the entrance to a very old district divided into two parts, the Anbruggen. The Höttingergasse served as a separation. The part of Mariahilf, in a dead end was a seedy place where all the traffic reigned. Today it is a pretty neighborhood where it is good to walk to admire the facades, and enjoy the nightlife in the rest of the neighborhood.

The bridge over the Inn was the passage route used by merchants who came down from the Brenner and continued towards Germany. This bridge has truly been a central point of life in Innsbruck throughout time.

When you are at the corner of the bridge on the old town side ofInnsbruck, on the Marktplatz, and you look up, you will see one of the most emblematic landscapes of Innsbruck. The Nordkette mountain range, all green in summer and all white in winter, towers over the colorful houses of Mariahilfstrasse by more than 2000 meters. The feeling of power of these mountains is impressive. You will be spoiled for choice when it comes to choosing your favorite house color to take a beautiful photo. The Nordkette is quite a symbol for the inhabitants ofInnsbruck. You go up there directly from the city center (we will talk about it later) to enjoy an extraordinary view of the Tyrolean Alps and the city below.

Go over the bridge and turn around.

It's'Innsbruck historical and imperial city that stretches out before you. Bell towers, domes, austere buildings without balconies with colorful facades play shadow puppets with the sun that pokes its nose in the south. In the background the snow-covered dome of the Patscherkofel in winter and the peak of the Nockspitze, at the foot of which there are ski resorts at the gates of the city that partly hide the mountains of the Stubai Alps.

On this bridge, the Alpine dimension of the nickname " Capital of the Alps ", takes on its full meaning.

Let us now discover the word “capital” in this same expression.

Triumphforte, the triumphal arch of Innsbruck

At a large, busy and sometimes congested intersection in the very center ofInnsbruck, you observe a triumphal arch. Nothing grandiose, nor enormous, but it is well planted there for a reason. By its style, we can see clearly that it celebrates nothing military: no invasion, no glory. Indeed it was built in baroque style in 1765 according to the wishes of Empress Maria Theresa on the occasion of the marriage of her son Leopold. An unhappy wedding since Emperor Francis I^er of Austria, Leopold's father, died during the celebrations following the wedding, right here in Innsbruck. His brother became Emperor and reigned for 25 years before dying in turn and ceding the throne of the Empire to Leopold.

Now that you know the characters of the imperial family, it is time to cross the triumphal arch and find yourself on Maria-Theresien-strasse, the main artery, entirely pedestrianizedInnsbruck.

This is where you can stroll. There you will find the shops, the entrance to the covered shopping centre, but also the Column of Saint Anne (Annasäule) erected by the city to commemorate the liberation of Tyrol in 1703, against the Kingdom of Bavaria, on the day of Saint Anne. There you will also find the entrance to the town hall, and a magnificent church whose interior is decorated with stucco, frescoes and woodwork in the pure tradition of Austrian Baroque, the Spitalkirche zum Heiligen Geist.

This hybrid between a street and a living space is the living heart ofInnsbruck. Beautiful houses with colorful facades follow one another on both sides. In the background, the street is blocked by the Nordkette. At night, in winter, when the dim city lights reveal the blue shadows of the snow-covered Nordkette, the atmosphere of grandeur and magnificence fills the viewer.

Continuing along the path in the same direction, you cross a street and find yourself in the continuity of Maria-Theresien-Strasse, but in an older context. The street becomes a little narrower. The houses that line it date from the 15th and 16th centuries, you can feel the maze of alleys that develops behind the colorful facades. Porticos allow you to stroll sheltered from the weather in front of the old stalls that have become restaurants or more or less artisanal shops (and sometimes souvenir shops).

It is the tourist heart of Innsbruck. Where the Goldenes Dachl is located. The small golden roof placed halfway above a balcony commissioned by Maximilian I, Emperor, in 1500. It was from this covered balcony that the Emperor could watch the events taking place on the small square at his feet, or address the inhabitants.

This pedestrian street between the triumphal arch and the golden roof, with the Nordkette in the background, sums up the concept of "capital" in itself. Innsbruck is the capital of Tyrol, but it was also a large city much appreciated by the Emperors of Austria who resided in Vienna. Today, to go beyond the borders and power stories of past centuries, we can give the city the title of Capital of the Alps with full knowledge of the facts after visiting these first two sites.

But there are others…

Innsbrucker Hofgarten, starting point for the Nordkette

Every imperial city has its imperial residence (the Hofburg). This is the case ofInnsbruck also, of course. It is reached by taking the alley that goes off to the right, opposite the small golden roof, at the end of the artery described in the previous paragraph.

The imperial residence is worth a visit. The imperial apartments are very well preserved. You can breathe the life of an era that ultimately only ceased to exist for a little over a century, at the end of the First World War. The cathedral is part of the complex but can be visited separately. An immense interior and a sumptuous façade are echoed by a very small, very discreet square to access it.

But an imperial residence also includes an imperial garden. And it is precisely the Hofgarten. It stands in the extension of imposing buildings that recall the great arteries of Vienna. We find the facade of the Hofburg, but also that of the University. Between the two a Palace of Music in a very modern and very controversial style breaks the architectural harmony of the time.

The garden is therefore located a little away from the city center, in a quiet area. The large trees shade the lawns, ponds and children's gardens. In winter, light installations allow you to live magical experiences, especially when it snows. A nice place to relax for a moment.

But also a first contact with the surrounding nature Innsbruck. First, because right opposite the Imperial Garden (Hofgarten) is the starting station of the journey that takes you in twenty minutes to the summit of Hafelekar, one of the peaks of the north chain.

The first step is The Hungerburgbahn. A small funicular that takes you in eight minutes from the banks of the Inn in the city centre to the cable car base station in the small town of Hungerburg. You can combine your ticket with an entrance ticket to the Alpine Zoo. The view from Hungerburg over Innsbruck is already sublime. You can clearly see the main monuments and in the background the gap of the wipptal which leads to the Brenner.

The second section is the Seegrubenbahn, a modern cable car, whose transparent cabins allow you to enjoy the ride, takes passengers up to 1900 meters above sea level. A mountain restaurant with a magnificent terrace allows you to rest in the sun, well above the low clouds that in winter sometimes block the city's horizon. The view, in all seasons, is magnificent. The Tyrolean Alps unfold before your eyes. The city stretches along the Inn in its wide valley, almost both ends of which can be seen. The ideal place for lovers of the Alps.

Hiking trails allow you to discover other perspectives below the vertical ridges of the Nordkette.

But you may also want to climb even higher, and this is possible with the third section: the Hafelekarbahn cable car climbs to 2300 metres above sea level. From the summit and from the very airy hiking trails that run along the ridges of the Nordkette, the view is even more impressive. It also opens up to the other side and offers a breathtaking panorama of the Karwendel mountains, this wild mountain range north of Innsbruck. One of the few regions of Tyrol that is not crossed by a road or punctuated by a hamlet or village.

The climb to the Nordkette is a must when visiting Innsbruck. Having the Capital of the Alps at your feet is a luxury! In winter, good skiers can go down the few slopes of the ski station of the Nordkette, dizzying and aerial.

The full cost of your excursion is 52€ per person for the round tripInnsbruck at Top of Innsbruck (Hafelekar) on all three sections.

Let's go back to the valley to visit another magnificent site of Innsbruck.

Schloss Ambras, Ambras Castle

Le Ambras Castle, perched on a hill overlooking Innsbruck, stands out for its elegant architecture combining medieval and Renaissance styles. Its white façade is punctuated by regular windows with gray frames. It is an imposing but very bright building in a wooded site. From the outside, the castle offers a majestic silhouette, softened by the natural setting of the trees and the panoramic view of the city and the surrounding mountains.

The main structure, with its steep roofs covered in red tiles, is flanked by round towers and bastions, evidence of its defensive origins. To the side, the building of the Spanish Room is distinguished by its long low gallery. The carefully maintained terraced gardens surround the castle with greenery and lead to a paved inner courtyard that exudes a peaceful atmosphere.

Ambras Castle was built in the 1529th century by Archduke Ferdinand II of Tyrol (1595-XNUMX), a great patron of the Renaissance and art enthusiast. Originally designed as a residence for his wife Philippine Welser, the castle quickly became a prestigious venue for her impressive collections of art and curiosities, making Ambras one of the world's premier museums. Playing a major cultural role, it reinforced Innsbruck's position as the artistic and intellectual centre of the region. Today, the castle houses unique collections, including the richly decorated Armoury, the Habsburg Portrait Gallery and the Cabinet of Art and Curiosities, which displays unusual and scientific objects from the XNUMXth century. Notable exhibits include Renaissance scientific instruments, terrestrial and celestial globes, ingenious automatons and elaborate suits of armour. Natural curiosities such as corals, exotic shells, narwhal horns then considered "unicorn horns", or even rare stuffed animals can also be seen there. Portraits of famous or atypical people, such as those of people with deformities, bear witness to the interest of the time for the strange and the singular. This cabinet perfectly illustrates the humanist spirit of the Renaissance, where science, art and mystery rubbed shoulders in a quest for knowledge and wonder.

Another highlight is the frescoed Spanish Hall, an architectural gem. 43 metres long and decorated entirely with carved and painted wood, it impresses with its richly decorated coffered ceiling and walls covered in frescoes depicting the rulers of the House of Habsburg. These life-size portraits, painted with great precision, frame the hall and are a reminder of the power of the dynasty. Natural light streams in through tall windows, illuminating the gilded details and refined patterns of the decor. Designed to host concerts, banquets and ceremonies, the hall has remarkable acoustics that are still used today for classical music concerts.

We really feel transported to the splendors of the Renaissance.

But lovers of the Alps will be more fascinated by the view from the terraces and gardens of the castle. The view of the city of Innsbruck and the mountains of the north chain is growing even more. The difference in altitude between the valley and the peaks is impressive.

On the same bank of the Inn as Ambras Castle, there is one last essential site to discover in Innsbruck. The one that contributed to awarding Innsbruck the nickname of Capital of the Alps.

The Bergisel ski jump, symbol of the Winter Olympics in Innsbruck

From everywhere in the city you can see it. It partly blends into the background but a trained eye can spot it. The Bergisel ski jump built for the ski jumping events at the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics, it still symbolises today the importance of skiing and winter sports for the entire Tyrol region and for the people ofInnsbruck in particular.

The 1966 Games were opened right at the foot of this ski jump in front of more than 50 people. These games were known as the snowless games! In fact, it had not snowed for several weeks on Innsbruck and the strong foehn wind had cleared away the last traces of snow. The snow was brought by truck from the Brenner by the Austrian army to ensure the smooth running of the Games.

Ski jumping is included in the list of Olympic sports and ski jumping is included in the list of Olympic sports. Bergisel is therefore the first ski jump in history to have hosted an Olympic event.

For the 1976 Olympic Games, the ski jump Bergisel was rebuilt. Once again, the lack of snow was rife. 1000 truckloads of snow were brought to Innsbruck, but fortunately there was some good snowfall just before the Games.

In front of more than 40 fans, Austrian and East German athletes compete for the gold medal in the ski jumping event in Bergisel. Both countries occupy the top eight places in the competition, but this time it is two Austrians who occupy the first two steps of the podium. The Bergisel legend is born.

Before the Olympic Games, in 1920, the first ski jumping competitions were already held on the Bergisel hill on the outskirts of Innsbruck, and even today every year, the hill hosts one of the four events of the Four Hills Tour, a ski jumping World Cup event.

You can climb to the top and admire the city from the terrace, but also from the ramp from which the athletes launch themselves. The sensation is dizzying. You can see all the mountains surrounding Innsbruck, including the vertical wall of the Nordkette and the more rounded summit of the Patscherkofel where the locals come to ski.

The title of Capital of the Alps is clearly not usurped when you find yourself at the top of the Bergisel ski jump.

But the Bergisel is a hill dear to the Tyroleans, not only because of the sporting victories but also because it is here that Andreas Hofer, originally from South Tyrol (now Italian) fought for the independence of Tyrol against the allied Bavarian and Napoleonic troops at the beginning of the 25th century. By defeating the Bavarians on the Bergisel first on 29 and 1809 May 13 and then the French on 14 and 1809 August XNUMX, he twice recaptured Innsbruck from the enemy. He was finally defeated and shot but became a symbol of the anti-Napoleonic resistance first and then the anti-totalitarian resistance.

The Bergisel is thus a true symbol for the whole of Tyrol..

Innsbruck, a true jewel nestled in the heart of the Alps, embodies the perfect alliance between history, culture and nature. Capital of Tyrol but above all "Capital of the Alps", the city offers its visitors a journey through the centuries, from the imperial splendors of the Hofburg to the sporting exploits immortalized on the Bergisel ski jump. Stroll through its alleys with colorful facades, marvel at the panorama of the north chain or exploring its iconic monuments, is to feel this unique alchemy between urbanity and omnipresent mountains. Whether you are an art lover, nature enthusiast, history buff or a fervent mountain sports enthusiast, Innsbruck will seduce you with the diversity of its attractions and the intensity of its landscapes. Here, every gaze turns towards the peaks, every walk reveals a new point of view, and every moment spent in this lively city is an invitation to embrace the Alpine majesty.

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