Culture of Innsbruck. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

Location on the map:   Facts: » The church has unique religious objects preserved. There is a work by a German Renaissance painter – Madonna and Child. The icon is called Maria Hilf and is located in the centre of the altar. The carved frame is gilded.
»  There’s a tomb of Maximilian III, an archduke from the Austrian dynasty (1620). There is an organ in the room. Its shining tubes stand out against a dark blue background. The organ is dressed in a wooden case. Columns rise in the hall. They are made of pink marble. The walls are covered with frescoes.
»  The cathedral was constructed between 1717 and 1724. There is evidence that there used to be a 12th-century church on this site. Pilgrims found shelter in it.
»  The earthquake of 1689 destroyed the building. Thirty years later, it was restored.
»  Another major reconstruction took place in the 1960s. The building was seriously damaged during the Second World War artillery strike.
»  The facade is decorated with arch-shaped window openings.
»  The church has two bell towers. One has a working clockwork. The watch is over 300 years old. The other one has 48 bells. They ring at noon glorifying the world.

» The 16th-century white-stone castle stands on an alpine hill. It was used by royals as a recreation house.
»  There used to be a medieval fortress on the site. Italian architects had to turn the citadel into a palace.
»  The archduke was keen on collecting unusual artifacts. The bottom level of the building has a collection of old weapons, printed publications, and manuscripts. The sculptural compositions of horsemen and horses are of interest. All riders are dressed in combat gear.
»  One of the halls exhibits 200 portraits of the Habsburg dynasty representatives painted by famous artists.
»  The Chamber of Art and Wonders is sort of an exhibition of images depicting unusual characters, for example, the sketches of Vlad Dracula. The Death figurine is made of real bone.
»  The monarch fulfilled his idea of a specific location of objects. The area dedicated to art has lots of caskets, statuettes, bronze items, and crafts from shrubs with openwork carving. The items of the same structure (wood, metal, silver) are placed side by side. A colour background is chosen for each of them: gold glitters against blue; wooden items are located against red; stones look better against green.

» The Roman Catholic parish of the Jesuits of the Holy Trinity (1627-1676) is part of the city university, thus it’s also called the University Church. Sermons and rituals are done in 20 languages here. The members of the community engage in the cultural and religious educational activities.
»  The crypt of the house of God has sarcophagi of Emperor Leopold and his wife. Some of the priests were also buried here. A 9-ton bell hangs in the belfry. The shape of the building resembles an elongated cross. There are two towers.
»  The facade has lancet windows and is decorated with sculptures. The coat of arms of the Habsburgs is put above the central portal.
»  The flooring inside is mosaic. There’s also an openwork iron wall with the crucified Christ against it. Entering the temple, parishioners see the face of Blessed Catherine. She is revered as the protector of those who study sciences.
»  The interior of the hall is replete with stucco and bas-reliefs. There are marble columns with twisted patterns.
»  The fresco on the ceiling makes the dome seem higher. The painter made a flat picture seem to extend beyond the borders. The play of light and shade makes the image “move”.

» The basilica was erected on the site of the ancient sanctuary. In 1140, Wilten was under the patronage of Presbyterian monks.
»  Centuries later, a new building with twin towers was constructed. The belfries were built on both sides of the main building. They have a distinctive feature – carved tops and high spires. An inscription dedicated to Benedict XVI, the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Church, is engraved above the central portal.
»  The building is distinct in multiple stucco decorations and architectural ledges. Many details are gilded. The ceiling is covered with biblical frescoes. The organ has 24 registers. The altar elevation is dotted with intricate curls. The altar is surrounded by 4 columns. It is topped by a wreath-shaped dome symbolizing the glory to the Mother of God.
»  Under the tent, there is a sculpture of the Virgin Mary dating from the 14th century. The figure is made of sandstone. Thousands of pilgrims come here to bow to the holy object. The palette of colours is subdued. Pastel shades prevail. The yellow cloister with white ornament looks gorgeous against the backdrop of an alpine hill.
»  Wilten Basilica is a functioning parish church.

» The tower was erected in 1450.
»  The round embossed walls under a bright green roof are more similar to a house from a fairy tale than a building intended for defence.
»  The 31-meter city building served as a reminder of power. The bourgeoisie thus declared its readiness to defend the city.
»  The 148-step gatehouse was used by messengers hourly to inform the townspeople of the exact time of day, the news, and disasters. The city council announced the first guard on Stadtturm in 1529.
»  A woman became the last messenger informing from the top of Stadtturm. It happened in 1967.
»  The place was used for fair shows and trade. There used to be snack bars and shops. The guilty ones were executed here as well. Later, instead of heralds, the clock installed at the top informed the laity of the time.
»  The Tower of Innsbruck is lined with yellow and pink sandstone of a light shade. It is crowned by a spire with a lantern.
»  There is a small room inside. The room is designed for 15 people. It is currently allowed to organize celebrations in the hall.
»  The drainage is also remarkable. The gutters made of iron take the form of strange creatures.