Few cities have mountains this close: from Innsbruck's old town, a funicular and two cable cars take you above 2,000 metres. Below the peaks lies the city of Emperor Maximilian I, with a golden roof, an empty imperial tomb and streets of painted houses along the Inn. Here are the facts and stories that make Innsbruck special.
10 fun facts about Innsbruck
- A roof of gold: the Golden Roof covers its balcony with 2,657 fire-gilded copper tiles. It was completed in 1500 for Maximilian I, and one relief shows him with both his wives, Mary of Burgundy and Bianca Maria Sforza.
- Twice an Olympic city: Innsbruck hosted the Winter Olympics in 1964 and 1976, and in 2012 it held the first Winter Youth Olympic Games.
- An emperor's empty tomb: in the Court Church, 28 larger-than-life bronze figures stand guard around Maximilian's monumental tomb. The emperor himself is buried in Wiener Neustadt, near Vienna.
- An arch with two faces: the Triumphal Arch was built for the wedding of Archduke Leopold in 1765. During the festivities his father, Emperor Francis I, died in Innsbruck, so the south side celebrates the marriage and the north side mourns the emperor.
- A watchtower above the old town: the City Tower was completed in 1450 and is 51 metres high. Climb 133 steps to the viewing gallery at 31 metres for a view over the rooftops to the mountains.
- Two works by Zaha Hadid: the architect designed the Bergisel ski jump, opened in 2002, and the stations of the new Hungerburg funicular, opened in 2007, whose glass roofs look like drifts of ice.
- From old town to high mountains: the Nordkette cable cars climb from the edge of the centre to the Hafelekar station at 2,256 metres, high above the city.
- The innkeeper who led a rebellion: in 1809 Andreas Hofer led the Tyrolean uprising against Bavarian and French rule and fought several battles on the Bergisel. He was executed in Mantua in 1810 and now lies in the Court Church.
- A column for a retreat: St Anne's Column on Maria-Theresien-Strasse marks the withdrawal of Bavarian troops from Tyrol on St Anne's Day, 26 July 1703.
- A name that is a bridge: Innsbruck means bridge over the Inn, and the city's coat of arms still shows one.
The legend of the Golden Roof
Innsbruck likes to tell a different story about its famous roof. Duke Frederick IV of Tyrol, who ruled in the early 15th century, was mocked as Friedl with the Empty Pockets. Legend says that, to prove his critics wrong, he had a roof covered in gold and showed off his wealth to the whole town. It is a good story, but the roof was built almost a century later for Maximilian I, who used the balcony as a royal box to watch tournaments and festivities on the square below. The gold is real, though: the copper tiles were fire-gilded, a technique that keeps them shining after more than five centuries.
Eduard-Wallnöfer-Platz, explained
The large square in front of the Tyrolean state government building tells the city's 20th-century history. Its northern side was rebuilt from 1938 as the Nazi Gauhaus, the regional party headquarters. After the war the French occupation commissioned the Liberation Monument here, dedicated to those who died for Austria's freedom. In 1997 a menorah was added in memory of the Jewish victims of the November pogrom of 1938. The square was redesigned in 2011 and named after Eduard Wallnöfer, governor of Tyrol from 1963 to 1987.
What to eat in Innsbruck
- Tiroler Gröstl: potatoes, onions and pieces of pork fried together in a pan and served with a fried egg on top.
- Kaspressknödel: flat cheese dumplings, served either in clear broth or with sauerkraut or salad.
- Tiroler Speck: lightly smoked and air-dried ham, protected as a geographical indication. Order it on a wooden board with bread and pickles.
- Kiachl: rings of fried yeast dough, eaten with cranberry jam or with sauerkraut, often at markets and festivals.
- Apfelstrudel: thin stretched pastry rolled around apples, raisins and cinnamon, best warm with vanilla sauce.
Good to know before you go
- For the classic photo of the coloured houses along the river, cross the Inn Bridge and look back from the Mariahilf side.
- The Nordkette is often clear when the valley is cloudy, but the weather changes fast. Check the webcams and take a warm layer, even in summer.
- The Innsbruck Card bundles the cable cars, the main museums and public transport, which can make sense if you plan to see a lot in one or two days.
- Good day trips are Ambras Castle on the edge of the city, with its Chamber of Art and Curiosities, and Swarovski Crystal Worlds in Wattens, opened in 1995.
Explore Innsbruck with World City Trail
Our Innsbruck scavenger hunt turns these sights into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around two hours, with about 24 minutes of walking, and leads you past the Triumphal Arch and Eduard-Wallnöfer-Platz.
At each stop you solve a puzzle and hear a short story, at your own pace. You can start whenever you like and play in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish or Dutch.
Play the Innsbruck scavenger hunt →
Facts checked in October 2026.