Things To Do In Innsbruck

Location: Austria

Languages: German and English

Best Time to Visit: May to September

Time Zone: UTC+1/+2

Driving Side: Right Side

Main Attractions: Golden roof, Hofkirche, The Ambras Castle, The Bergisel, Riesenrundgemälde

The city of Innsbruck is the capital city of the federal state of Tyrol, which is situated in western Austria. It is internationally known as a renowned winter sports centre and also hosted the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics. The name of the city ‘bruck’ is derived from the German word ‘Brücke’ meaning ‘bridge,’ which takes the meaning of ‘Innsbruck’ to ‘the bridge over the Inn’. The city has a number of tourist attractions and places to see, which makes it a thriving tourist destination. Apart from action sports such as mountaineering and skiing, there are a number of things to do for the tourists here.

Innsbruck boasts of a number of tourist attractions for its visitors. Golden roof is the major landmark in Innsbruck. Built in 1500, it is decorated with 2657 fire gilded copper tiles. It was used by the emperors and others to watch events in the square. Hofkirche or the Court Church is a Gothic church in the city, built by Ferdinand I. It boasts of a remarkable collection of German Renaissance sculpture. Ambras Castle is one of the most important sights in the city. It carries both cultural as well as historical importance. The Bergisel is a hill, which is regarded as a historical site for being the venue of four Battles of Bergisel.

The city of Innsbruck houses a number of museums and art galleries. These museums preserve the antique relics of the prehistoric civilization. Moreover, they even narrate the tales about the people, culture, tradition and development of the area. Some of the popular museums in Innsbruck are Riesenrundgemälde, Tiroler Landesmuseum, Tiroler Volkskunstmuseum, Zeughaus, Tiroler Museumsbahnen and Kaiserjägermuseum. While in the city, make sure to explore its rich history and legacy, through these museums.

 

As Innsbruck is located between high mountains, it serves as an ideal spot for skiing in winter and mountaineering in summer. In effect, there are a number of ski resorts nearby, to facilitate the sport amongst visitors. The Olympic Winter Games were held here twice, first in 1964 and then again in 1976. It also hosted the 1984 and 1988 Winter Paralympics. The city even served as a host to Ice Hockey World Championships, in 2005. FC Wacker Innsbruck's stadium, Tivoli Neu, is one of eight stadiums hosting Euro 2008, which is taking place in Switzerland and Austria in June 2008.