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Country / Austria / Innsbruck |
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History: Innsbruck is the capital city of the federal state of Tyrol in western Austria. It is located in the Inn Valley at the junction with the Wipptal (Sill River), which provides access to the Brenner Pass, some 30 km south of Innsbruck. Located in the broad valley between high mountains, the Nordkette (Hafelekar, 2,334 m) in the north, Patscherkofel (2,246 m) and Serles (2,718 m) in the south, it is an internationally renowned winter sports centre, and hosted the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics. It is to host the 1st Winter Youth Olympics in 2012. The word bruck comes from the German word Brücke meaning "bridge" which leads to "the bridge over the Inn". The first mention of Innsbruck dates back to the name Oeni Pontum or Oeni Pons which is Latin for bridge (pons) over the Inn (Oenus), which was an important crossing point over the river Inn. The city's seal and coat of arms show a bird's-eye view of the Inn bridge, a design used since 1267. The route over the Brenner Pass was then a major transport and communications link between the north and the south, and the easiest route across the Alps.
Sights: Main sights
- The older pedestrian district of Innsbruck with the famous Goldenes Dachl (Golden Roof) and the Alps in the background.
- Ski jump stadium on the Bergisel.
- Kaiserliche Hofburg with view of the Nordkette.
Buildings
- Golden Roof
- Kaiserliche Hofburg (Imperial Court)
- Hofkirche (Imperial Church) with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
- Altes Landhaus (old federal state parliament)
- Altstadt (Old Town)
- Annasäule
- Helblinghaus
- Maria-Theresien-Straße (Main Street)
- Tiroler Landestheater Innsbruck (Theatre)
- Triumphpforte
- Bergiselschanze, designed by Zaha Hadid.
- New Hungerburgbahn, designed by Zaha Hadid.
Museums
- Riesenrundgemälde
- Schloss Ambras
- Tiroler Landesmuseum
- Tiroler Volkskunstmuseum
- Zeughaus
- Tiroler Museumsbahnen
- Kaiserjägermuseum
Churches
- Ursulinenkirche
- Dom zu St. Jakob (St. James's Cathedral, often wrongly called St Jacob's Cathedral)
- Hofkirche
- Stift Wilten
- Wiltener basilika
- Spitalskirche
- Liebfrauenkirche
- Jesuit Church
Parks and gardens
- Alpenzoo (Alpine Zoo)
- Innsbruck University Botanic Garden
- Hofgarten
- Rapoldipark
- Schlosspark Ambras
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