The Stadtturm, Innsbruck's city tower, rises over the old town a few steps from the Golden Roof. Finished in 1450 as part of the old town hall, it was for centuries the post of the watchmen who kept a lookout for fires, and its gallery at 31 metres gives one of the best close-up views of the old town and the mountains around it.
The Stadtturm at a glance
- Where: Herzog-Friedrich-Straße 21 in Innsbruck's old town, attached to the Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall), close to the Golden Roof.
- Built: 1442–1450 in late Gothic style; the onion dome replaced the original Gothic spire in 1560.
- What it is today: a lookout tower open to visitors, with a viewing gallery at 31 metres reached by 133 steps.
- Height: about 51 metres to the top of the dome.
- Time needed: 30–45 minutes for the climb and the view; there is no lift.
Watchmen, prisoners and a Renaissance dome
Innsbruck's burghers built the tower in the mid-15th century beside their town hall, as a sign of civic pride and as a practical lookout. It was finished around 50 years before Emperor Maximilian I added the Golden Roof just down the street. The lower floors, built of solid stone, served as the town prison, which is why the windows near the bottom are barred. Around a century after it was completed, the pointed Gothic spire was replaced by the Renaissance onion dome that gives the tower its shape today.
For nearly 450 years, tower watchmen lived and worked at the top. They kept watch day and night and raised the alarm when they saw fire or other danger in the tightly packed streets below. Today the gallery around the upper storey is open to anyone willing to climb the narrow stairs, and the tower remains one of the landmarks that define the old town skyline.
What to look for
- The contrast between the heavy, square stone base and the slimmer, octagonal upper storeys with the green onion dome on top.
- The barred windows on the lower floors, a reminder of the tower's years as a prison.
- The gallery that runs right around the tower at 31 metres, where you walk outside with the old town roofs directly below.
- From the top: the Golden Roof below you, the Inn river, the Nordkette range to the north, and Bergisel and Patscherkofel to the south.
- The Old Town Hall at the foot of the tower, the civic building the tower was added to in the 15th century.
The view the watchmen had
Standing on the gallery, it is easy to see why the town put a lookout here. The old town is compact, the roofs are close together, and from 31 metres you can follow almost every street. On a clear day the mountains seem close enough to touch: the peaks of the Nordkette rise to the north, and to the south you can pick out Bergisel with its ski jump.
Tips for your visit
- Go early in the day or late in the afternoon to avoid queues on the narrow stairs, which can only hold a limited number of people at once.
- Choose a clear day: the mountains are the main part of the view, and low cloud hides them completely.
- The steps are steep and narrow and the gallery is exposed, so wear sensible shoes and hold on to small children.
- Combine the climb with the Golden Roof and the Hofburg, both only a few minutes' walk away.
Nearby
- Golden Roof (Goldenes Dachl): the late Gothic balcony with gilded copper tiles built for Emperor Maximilian I, a short walk down the street.
- Helblinghaus: a Gothic house covered in rich 18th-century stucco, facing the Golden Roof.
- Hofburg and Hofkirche: the imperial palace and the court church with the bronze figures around Maximilian's cenotaph, a few minutes away.
- Inn bridge and Mariahilf: cross the river for the colourful row of houses along the Inn with the Nordkette behind.
See Innsbruck with World City Trail
Our Innsbruck scavenger hunt turns the old town into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around 2 hours, with about 24 minutes of walking. Among the places it includes are the Triumphpforte and Eduard-Wallnöfer-Platz. You can play in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish or Dutch.
For people who prefer a different format, there is also a self-guided walking tour and an outdoor escape game in Innsbruck.
Play the Innsbruck scavenger hunt →
Take the self-guided walking tour of Innsbruck →
Play the outdoor escape game in Innsbruck →
Facts checked in October 2026.