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Innsbruck

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Innsbruck is a city in western Austria, and the capital of the federal state of Tyrol. It is located in the Inn valley at the junction with the Wipptal (Sill River) which provides access to the Brennerpass, just about 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. The name translated means the bridge over the Inn (Brücke=bridge)

History

 
"Golden Roof"

The first colonialistaions point out the early Stone Age. Pre-Roman place names show that the area has been populated continuously. In the 4th Century the Romans established the army station Veldidena (which refers to the todays urban district Wilten) as protection of the economically important commercial street from Verona-Brenner-Augsburg. This was destroyed during Völkerwanderung in the 4th century. But the first mention of Innsbruck dates back to 1187 (Oeni Pontum or oeni pons which is Latin for bridge (pons) over the inn (oenus)). It served as 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. The revenues generated by serving as a transit station caused the city to flourish.

Innsbruck became the capital of all Tyrol in 1429 and later in 15th century the city became a centre of European politics and culture as emperor Maximilian I moved the imperial court to Innsbruck in the 1490s.

During the Napoleonic wars Tyrol was ceded to Bavaria, ally of France. Andreas Hofer led a Tyrolean peasant army in the victory on the Berg Isel against combined Bavarian and French forces, proceeded to make Innsbruck the centre of his administration. The combined army later overran the Tyrolean militia army and Innsbruck was until 1814 part of Bavaria. After the Vienna Congress Austrian rule returned. The Tyrolean hero Andreas Hofer was executed in Mantua and his remains were returned to Innsbruck in 1823 and interred in the Franciscan church.

Main article: Bombing of Innsbruck in World War II

In 1938 Austria was annexed by Hitler's Germany. From 1943 until April 1945, Innsbruck experienced 21 bomb attacks and suffered heavy damage.

People and Culture

A majority of Innsbruck's people are of Tyrolian ancestry, and, therefore, influence the culture of the city.[citation needed]

However, with many European cities, there are small, yet thriving minorities that co-exist with the European majority. These include Turkish, North Africans, Indians, Roma, and even the Chinese and Nepali. Many of aspects of their culture can be found throughout the city, such as markets, restaurants, and shops, and some even still speak their traditional language in everyday life. They, too, have had a lasting effect on the city of Innsbruck.[citation needed]

Population development

File:Innsbruck - topview, medq.jpg
Winter view from mountainside.
Year Population
1900 49,727
1951 95,055
1961 100,959
1971 116,104
1981 117,287
1991 118,112
2001 113,392
2007 117,916

Source: Statistik Austria [1], City of Innsbruck Website [2]

Culture and Sights

Entertainment

Innsbruck has many cinemas and little theatres (of which the biggest is the Tiroler Landestheater Innsbruck) and, being a very popular tourist destination, Innsbruck organises the following events every year:

  • Vierschanzentournee (Four Hills Tournament)
  • Innsbrucker tanzsommer
  • Bergsilvester (New Years Eve)
  • Festwochen der Alten Musik (Weeks of Classic Music)
  • Christkindlmarkt (Christmas fair)

Sports

File:1964 Winter Olympics logo.png

Due to its ___location in between high mountains, Innsbruck serves as an ideal place for skiing in winter, and mountaineering in summer. There are several ski resorts around Innsbruck with the Nordkette served by a cable car and additional chair lifts further up. Other ski resorts nearby include Axamer Lizum, Igls, Seefeld, Tulfes and Stubai Valley. The latter makes skiing possible even in the summer due to the glaciated terrain there.

File:Euro2008Logo.jpg

The Olympic Winter Games were held in Innsbruck twice, first in 1964, then again in 1976, when the Denver, Colorado voters rejected a bond referendum to finance the games. Along with St. Moritz, Switzerland and Lake Placid, New York in the United States, it is one of three places to have twice hosted the Winter Games. It also hosted the 1984 and 1988 Winter Paralympics.

Other notable events held in Innsbruck include the Air and Style Snowboard Contest from 1994 through 1999 and the Ice Hockey World Championship in 2005. Together with the city of Seefeld, Innsbruck organized the Winter Universiade in 2005. Innsbruck is also one of the host cities for Euro 2008 which is to be held in Switzerland and Austria.

Buildings

 
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

Museums

  • Riesenrundgemälde
  • Schloss Ambras (A Castle)
  • Tiroler Landesmuseum
  • Tiroler Volkskunstmuseum
  • Zeughaus
  • Tiroler Museumsbahnen
  • Kaiserjägermuseum

Churches

  • Ursulinenkirche
  • Dom zu St. Jakob (St. Jacob's Cathedral)
  • Hofkirche
  • Stift Wilten
  • Wiltener basilika
  • Spitalskirche
  • Liebfrauenkirche

Parks

  • Alpenzoo (Alpine Zoo)
  • Rapoldipark
  • Hofgarten
  • Schlosspark Ambras

Economy and Education

 
The city is provided with a highly developed tram system.

Innsbruck is the cultural and economic center of western Austria and is one of the most famous and efficient tourist centres, with over more than a million overnight says. It is also a university city

Economic data

In Innsbruck there are about over 78,000 employees and about 8,000 places of work. 35,000 people shuttle every day into Innsbruck.

Tourism

Tourism is the most important source of income for the city authority. It is so popular because of the beautiful town centr with historic buildings, the amiable ambience and the extensive sport facilities both in winter and in summer.

Transport

Innsbruck is located along the A12/A13 corridor, providing freeway access to Verona, Italy and Munich, Germany. The A12 and A13 converge near Innsbruck, at which point the A13 terminates.

Innsbruck's main station is one of the most frequented railway stations in Austria. The Austrian east-west railway crosses the south-west route through the Brenner pass, connecting northern Italy and southern Germany.

Innsbruck Airport provides service to Frankfurt, London, and Vienna, among others.

The town's tram-network consists of two city-lines and two lines in the surrounding area - the Innsbrucker Mittelgebirgsbahn to Igls and into the Stubaital the Stubaitalbahn. The network will be enlarged during the coming years to Hall in Tirol in the east and Völs in the west. There are several bus lines as well. The trolleybus service will be abandoned due to the enlargement of the tram network.

Education

Innsbruck's universities are also leading in Austria and the EU. The most famous is the Leopold-Franzens-Universität, followed by the Medical Uni IBK and the MCI.

Politics

The results of the 2006 local elections were:

Miscellaneous

Twinnings

 
Panoramic view.

Innsbruck is twinned with:

See also

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Innsbruck.
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