The tomb of Emperor Maximilian I fills the nave of the Hofkirche (Court Church) in Innsbruck: a marble sarcophagus with the bronze emperor kneeling on top, guarded by 28 larger-than-life bronze figures of his ancestors, relatives and heroes. It is often called the grandest imperial tomb in Europe, and it is empty. Maximilian is buried in Wiener Neustadt, near Vienna.
Maximilian's tomb at a glance
- Where: in the Hofkirche on Universitätsstraße, opposite the Hofburg, with the entrance through the Museum of Tyrolean Folk Art next door.
- Created: from 1502 to 1584; the church around it was built in 1553–1563.
- By: designs by Albrecht Dürer, Jörg Kölderer and others for the bronze figures, which were cast mainly by Gilg Sesselschreiber, Stefan Godl and Gregor Löffler; the marble reliefs and the models for the kneeling emperor are by Alexander Colin.
- What it is today: a cenotaph (an empty tomb) in a museum church run by the Tyrolean State Museums, which also holds the grave of the Tyrolean hero Andreas Hofer.
- Time needed: 45–60 minutes, longer if you also visit the Silver Chapel and the folk art museum.
A tomb that took 82 years
Maximilian I (1459–1519), Holy Roman Emperor and the ruler who made Innsbruck one of his main residences, planned his own memorial in great detail. Around 1502 work began on a bronze procession of 40 figures from his family tree and from legend, each holding a torch, to accompany him to his grave. Casting was slow and expensive, and when he died in 1519 only part of it was finished. His will asked for burial in St George's Church in the castle of Wiener Neustadt, where he had been born, and that is where his body lies.
His grandson Ferdinand I decided to complete the monument in Innsbruck instead and built the Hofkirche in 1553–1563 to house it, with the Trentino architect Andrea Crivelli. The number of large figures was cut to 28 and left ungilded. The sarcophagus was finished in 1572, and in 1584 the kneeling emperor, the four Virtues at the corners and the iron grille were put in place, 82 years after the project began.
What to look for
- The kneeling emperor: Maximilian in bronze on the lid of the sarcophagus, praying towards the altar, surrounded by the four cardinal Virtues: Justice, Prudence, Fortitude and Temperance.
- The 'Schwarze Mander': the 28 bronze figures, 2 to 2.5 metres tall, lining both sides of the nave. Locals call them the 'black men', although eight of them are women, among them Maximilian's first wife, Mary of Burgundy.
- King Arthur: the best known of the figures, cast in Nuremberg by Peter Vischer the Elder after a design by Albrecht Dürer. Dürer also designed Theodoric the Great and Count Albrecht IV of Habsburg.
- The marble reliefs: 24 white marble panels by Alexander Colin on the sides of the sarcophagus, showing Maximilian's battles, treaties and his marriage to Mary of Burgundy in 1477, based on Dürer's woodcuts for the emperor's Triumphal Arch.
- The gallery saints: 23 small statuettes of saints linked to the Habsburg family, designed by Jörg Kölderer, standing in the gallery above.
- Andreas Hofer's tomb: the marble monument to the leader of the 1809 Tyrolean uprising, executed in Mantua in 1810 and buried here in 1823, shown holding a flag.
Why the tomb is empty
The usual explanation is simply Maximilian's will: he wanted to rest in Wiener Neustadt, and the bronze army was too heavy for the castle church there. Innsbruck tells a more colourful story. Towards the end of his life, it is said, the city's innkeepers refused to give his court further credit and presented the bill for its debts; the angry emperor left Innsbruck and died on the road, in Wels in Upper Austria, on 12 January 1519. Whether or not the bill story is true, his burial was anything but grand. According to contemporary accounts, he asked for his hair to be cut off and his teeth removed and to be buried as a penitent. His heart was buried separately in Bruges, with Mary of Burgundy.
Tips for your visit
- The entrance is through the Museum of Tyrolean Folk Art, not the main church portal, so look for the museum door beside the church.
- The reliefs are behind the iron grille and quite small: walk all the way round, and use your phone's zoom to see the details.
- Combine it with the Golden Roof and the Hofburg for a short Maximilian walk; all three are a few minutes apart.
Nearby
- Hofburg: the imperial palace across the street, rebuilt in the 18th century under Maria Theresa, with state rooms open to visitors.
- Golden Roof: the late-Gothic balcony with gilded copper tiles built for Maximilian around 1500, a few minutes' walk away in the old town.
- Museum of Tyrolean Folk Art: the museum that shares its entrance with the Hofkirche, with farmhouse rooms, costumes and crafts from the Alpine valleys.
- Hofgarten: the former court garden, now a public park, a short walk north of the Hofburg.
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. It includes the Triumphpforte and Eduard-Wallnöfer-Platz. You can play in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish and Dutch.
If you 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.