Hofburg, Innsbruck

In 1401 Duke Friedrich IV got the house in a barter deal.
Towards the end of the 15th century, with Emperor Maximilian displaying the splendour of Court life in it, the building had today's size already.
Empress Maria Theresia had it transformed in two renovation stages into a monumental residence of late baroque style.

One of the many showrooms containing precious furniture and paintings is the giant room (Riesensaal) known as the most marvellous feast and ceremonial room in the Alps, it gives a vivid impression of a past time ruling class life!

The decoration and furniture in most of the rooms are not of the same date of origin, but of the same style. Most pieces of furniture are of the 19th century, such as the Biedermeier pieces made by Johann Nepomuk Geyer, a carpenter of the city, or the 2nd Rokoko-style furniture by La Vigne. Still, of the items of Maria Theresian times there is almost nothing left.


In 1990, the revitalization of the whole Imperial Residence has been started. As far as the museum section is concerned restauration works are partly focused on the entrance foyer with the Cafeteria, an elevator for disabled persons and on the other hand on further scientific investigations of interiors which are based on a well preserved "business and furniture inventory" of the year 1841.

The "Imperial guest room" was chosen for restauration and adapted to the technical standards of a modern museum with maximal regard to preserving authentic old parts, a method the whole, long-term restauration concept for all other showrooms is based on.

Newly renovated , the Imperial palace in Innsbruck is definitely worth a visit. Even if it's just to admire the splendid Giant hall, scene of gala dinners, banquets and high society events and Sissi's appartments. When I went there, there were only a few visitors , so you can admire the place in tranquility, without the crowds of tourists that get on the way and the tourist guides talking in all the languages. For those interested in WWII events , there is a slideshow if photographs from different events held in the Hofburg during the Nazi occupation.

Open whole year round
Daily from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.
Entry until 4.30 p.m.

The Hofburg is right across the street from the theater, and is illuminated at night. It was the seat of the Habsburg family of princes, kings and emperors for over six centuries. Since the end of the First World War, which was also the end of Habsburg rule in Austria, the Hofburg has been used as a museum.

It is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission as of 2006 was EUR 5.45 for adults, EUR 4.00 for "seniors" aged 60 or over, EUR 3.63 for students, etc., down to EUR 1.09 for children from 6 to 14 years old.

These odd prices probably are the result of conversion from the old prices in Austrian Shillings, which were phased out with the introduction of the Euro as the common European currency on January 1, 2002.

Originally built in the 15th century by Archduke Siegmund the Rich, the Imperial Palace was rebuilt in Baroque style with Rococo detail by architect Johann Martin Gumpp on the orders of Empress Maria Theresa. The building, flanked by domed towers, has four wings which house state rooms, private apartments and a chapel. Definitely worth a look is the enormous Riesensaal (Giant’s Hall) is a 30 metre long state room decorated with ceiling frescoes, adorned with portraits of the Hapsburgs and embellished with marble and gold; the courtyard is also a wonderful place to visit in the evening.

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Maria Theresa had the design of the palace changed last in 1755, and it was expanded into a royal palace, being completed in 1770. It previously was the the ruling family of Asburgos that had control for 100+ years. The Hapsburgs ruled from here for six centuries, through WWI. The most impressive site inside is the great hall at 90 feet and colorful frescoed ceilings, fringed by gold and marble. There are also a number of family Hapsburg portraits.
Open daily 9:00 to 5:00PM, the cost is 5.45 Euro for normal, or 4 Euro senior

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The giants' room is the most beautiful room of whole Hofburg. It was the saloon of the parties with frescos on the ceiling made by F.A. Maulbertch in 1775. These frescos represent the Triumph of the dynastic of the House of Habsburg-Lorenas. You can see To the walls the portraits of Maria Theresa of Austria, of her husband Francis I of Lorena, Joseph II and of their children.

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The Royal Residence was the residence of the Tirolean branch of the House of the Asburgos (century sixteenth). Subsequently it became Imperial Palace and used during the summer months from the Royal Family. The actual aspect in rococo style has got the facade coloured with the characteristic white and yellow plaster. This colour was given to him under the kingdom of Maria Theresa of Austria from the architect J.M.Gumpp (1754-1756) and from K.J.Walter (1766-1773). The facade of the building is constituted from three orders of windows and to the extremities there are two small towers.

The Imperial Palace (Hofburg) was built by archduke Siegmund the Rich in Gothic style around 1460. It was rebuilt in Baroque style by emperess Maria Theresia between 1754 and 1773. Inside this palace there are 25 state apartments dating from 18th and 19t centuries and the Giants' Hall with many portraits of the Habsburgs.