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... our suggestion for wheelchair users or people with walking disabilities who want to visit our town alone or in company.
A small team of experts has arranged a sightseeing tour for wheelchair users and people with walking disabilities.
The Old Town with the Golden Roof and the City Tower
We would like to thank Mr. Hörmann, who is a wheelchair user himself, for advising us, we also would like to express thanks to Ms. Konwalinka – the city guide who accompanied Mr. Hörmann – and Mr. Kayed for arranging the route and the text.
The city tour for wheelchair users starts at the Imperial Palace, because next to Rennweg you will find centrally located parking sites for wheelchair users.
The Imperial Palace (phone 587 186-12) can be accessed via the court. Opposite of Café Sacher is a small ramp which leads to a bell with a wheelchair symbol. Please ring the bell and the door will open. Via a stair lift you will reach the foyer and another lift will take you to the showrooms. The Imperial Palaces disposes of two accessible, disabled friendly toilets. The showrooms themselves don’t cause any problems.
At the end of the 15th century, as Emperor Maximilian I held court in Innsbruck, the Imperial Palace had already had today's dimensions. Empress Maria Theresia renovated the existing palace and gave it its monumental baroque style. One of the many showrooms is the great Festival hall, which once was the most lavish hall in the whole alpine region. In 2008/09 the royal rooms will be renovated in several stages, however the Imperial Palace will be open to the public all the time. From November 2007 the Imperial Palace will also accommodate the Museum of the Alpine Association.
We will then cross the Imperial Palace’s court and get to St. Jacob’s Cathedral in the north. Along the cathedral’s southern side we will reach the main portal in the west.
The cathedral’s large doors can be reached via a metallic ramp, which has a gradient of a bit more than 6 percent. As is the case with many churches, the doors are quite heavy; however the cathedral is accessible by wheelchair users.
The heavily baroque style cathedral was built between 1717 and 1724 instead of older churches on the same site. The famous picture of Virgin Mary, named "Mariahilf" (Mary help us) is situated at the altar and was painted by Lukas Cranach the older. The frescos and stucco work were made by the Asam brothers. Every day at 12.12 noon the peace bells ring from the north tower of the cathedral. The tomb of Archduke Maximilian III was erected in 1629 and was part of the church building preceding the cathedral. Please don't take photos during services.
In front of the cathedral we will turn left to Pfarrgasse. At the end of Pfarrgasse, to the right you will see the Golden Roof.
To get into the Museum Goldenes Dachl you have to call 581 111. A staff member will then come to the side entrance at Pfarrgasse and open the door to the lift which leads to the museum. An accessible, disabled friendly toilet is provided.
Amidst the charming Old Town you will find Innsbruck's greatest tourist attraction and certainly its most characteristic landmark: the Golden Roof – a three-story balcony on the central plaza in the heart of the Old Town. The late Gothic oriels are capped with 2,738 gold-plated copper tiles. It was constructed for Emperor Maximilian I to serve as a royal box where he could sit in luxury and enjoy tournaments in the square below. Completed at the dawn of the 16th century, the Golden Roof was built to celebrate Maximilian's second marriage to Bianca Maria Sforza of Milan (Maximilian was a ruler who expanded his territory through marriage, not conquest). Not wishing to alienate his allies gained by the first marriage to Maria of Burgundy he had an image of himself painted between the two women on the balcony. Inside there’s a museum (don’t miss out on the great view from the royal box) and the Golden Roof is also the permanent secretariat of the organisation Commission Internationale pour la Protection des Alpes.
After visiting the Golden Roof we will turn southwards to the mediaeval City Tower on the left side. As the City Tower is a Historic Place and its existing form has to be preserved, there is no lift and you can only reach its top by climbing 148 steps.
Built between 1442 and 1450, this magnificent tower has a 16th century bulbous cupola under which was the flat of the towers warden situated until the 60s of the 20th century.
If we look to the right – with the Golden Roof behind us – we will see the lavishly adorned Helbling house diagonally opposite of the City Tower.
This original 15th century Gothic mansion is an outstanding example of bourgeois grandeur in the Old Town. In 1730 it was richly decorated with stuccos by Anton Gigl. The house is named after Sebastian Helbling, who operated a small café there in the 19th century.
Let’s now head west along Herzog-Friedrich-Straße towards the Inn Brigde past the Gasthof Goldener Adler on the left side.
The Gasthof Goldener Adler has a 600-year-long tradition of welcoming celebrities and notable persons in its historic walls: Johann Wolfgang Goethe, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, John Glenn just to name a few.
Opposite of the Gasthof Goldener Adler lies the Ottoburg with its red-white-red shutters.
The Ottoburg – an ancient house grown over by wild wine was erected in the 15th century instead of a small castle of the counts of Andechs on orders of Maximilian I. It is directly situated at the old city wall of which parts can be seen still today. For centuries the Ottoburg has been housing an excellent restaurant and wine bar.
To the right side of the Ottoburg you will see the Claudiana.
Claudiana, as the former seat of the Tirolean government is called, was named after Claudia de Medici, who had the building reconstructed in the 17th century. A hall with a beautiful wooden renaissance ceiling which was only accessible during festive events was added then. Portraits of her and her fellow peers are replicas of the statues in the Imperial Church.
If you enter the building through the left or preferentially the right entrance you will reach a court. Cross the court to get to the disabled friendly entrance to the Town Musuem (phone 587 380). A lift takes you to the elevated ground floor of the museum.
The town museum presents different aspects of the town’s history in its permanent exhibition. Archive material illustrates Innsbruck’s characteristics concerning its location, foundation and development, the traffic situation, health, culture, sports, tourism, trades, drinking-water supply, … Many paintings of famous Tirolean artists, pictures of the town, mediaeval documents, rare realities, posters and post cards tell interesting stories about the town and its inhabitants.
After leaving the Town Museum we will get back to the Claudiana and Herzog-Friedrich-Straße.
Now we will continue straight ahead. At the end of Kiebachgasse we will turn left and reach the beginning of Maria-Theresien-Straße after passing through Kolbenturm.
St. Ann’s Column in Maria-Theresien-Straße
If you continue further south you will reach another famous sight of Innsbruck: St. Ann’s Column.
On July 26, 1703 (St. Ann's Day) St. Ann's Column was erected right in the centre of Maria-Theresien-Straße to commemorate the liberation from the Bavarian troops which had invaded Tirol earlier. On top of this Corinthian column built out of red marble is a statue of St. Mary. Surrounding the column are statues of Saints Cassian, Vigilius, George and Ann, built by Christoforo Bendetti, an Italian sculptor from Trento.
From St. Ann’s Column we will walk back to the Old Town and the Golden Roof. In front of the Golden Roof we will turn right to Hofgasse. At the end of this lane we will pass the former town gate and reach the Imperial Church.
If you want to visit the Imperial Church please call 59489-510. A staff member will then open the door which is normally only open during church services. Via a plain ramp you get direct access to the large church with the cenotaph of Emperor Maximilian I.
The impressive church can easily be explored in a wheelchair. Another ramp leads to a quiet, peaceful court which sometimes is the venue for various events.
The Imperial Church harbors the unique (empty) tomb of Emperor Maximilian I who had a large influence on Innsbruck and is buried in Wiener Neustadt. Thirty years after Maximilian’s death were 28 life-size, bronze figures finished, created and cast by artists like Albrecht Dürer. As the figures had never been taken to Wiener Neustadt and remained in Innsbruck, they were brought to the church built between 1553 and 1563. Archduke Ferdinand II and his bourgeois wife Philippine Welser are buried in the Silver Chapel. In the northern bay stands the tomb of the Tyrolean freedom fighter Andreas Hofer who was shot dead in Mantua in 1810.
The Volkskunstmuseum is not accessible at the moment; however it should be renovated next year. It’s best to leave the court via the entrance of the Volkskunstmuseum (mind the 15cm-high step at the door).
Now cross the street in front of the Court Church in order to reach Leopoldsbrunnen Fountain opposite of the Imperial Palace.
The equestrian statue of the fountain, situated on Rennweg Street, is the oldest surviving depiction of a rearing horse north of the Alps. Its rider, Archduke Leopold V, was the ruler of Tirol from 1619 to 1632. Bronze statues of goddesses and sea deities were created by Caspar Gras. The original figures can be admired at the Ferdinandeum Museum.
Our wheelchair city tour ends here, exactly opposite of the Imperial Palace where the disabled friendly parking sites are located and where our tour has started.
A small team of experts has arranged a sightseeing tour for wheelchair users and people with walking disabilities.
The Old Town with the Golden Roof and the City Tower
The city tour for wheelchair users starts at the Imperial Palace, because next to Rennweg you will find centrally located parking sites for wheelchair users.
The Imperial Palace (phone 587 186-12) can be accessed via the court. Opposite of Café Sacher is a small ramp which leads to a bell with a wheelchair symbol. Please ring the bell and the door will open. Via a stair lift you will reach the foyer and another lift will take you to the showrooms. The Imperial Palaces disposes of two accessible, disabled friendly toilets. The showrooms themselves don’t cause any problems.
At the end of the 15th century, as Emperor Maximilian I held court in Innsbruck, the Imperial Palace had already had today's dimensions. Empress Maria Theresia renovated the existing palace and gave it its monumental baroque style. One of the many showrooms is the great Festival hall, which once was the most lavish hall in the whole alpine region. In 2008/09 the royal rooms will be renovated in several stages, however the Imperial Palace will be open to the public all the time. From November 2007 the Imperial Palace will also accommodate the Museum of the Alpine Association.
We will then cross the Imperial Palace’s court and get to St. Jacob’s Cathedral in the north. Along the cathedral’s southern side we will reach the main portal in the west.
The cathedral’s large doors can be reached via a metallic ramp, which has a gradient of a bit more than 6 percent. As is the case with many churches, the doors are quite heavy; however the cathedral is accessible by wheelchair users.
The heavily baroque style cathedral was built between 1717 and 1724 instead of older churches on the same site. The famous picture of Virgin Mary, named "Mariahilf" (Mary help us) is situated at the altar and was painted by Lukas Cranach the older. The frescos and stucco work were made by the Asam brothers. Every day at 12.12 noon the peace bells ring from the north tower of the cathedral. The tomb of Archduke Maximilian III was erected in 1629 and was part of the church building preceding the cathedral. Please don't take photos during services.
In front of the cathedral we will turn left to Pfarrgasse. At the end of Pfarrgasse, to the right you will see the Golden Roof.
To get into the Museum Goldenes Dachl you have to call 581 111. A staff member will then come to the side entrance at Pfarrgasse and open the door to the lift which leads to the museum. An accessible, disabled friendly toilet is provided.
Amidst the charming Old Town you will find Innsbruck's greatest tourist attraction and certainly its most characteristic landmark: the Golden Roof – a three-story balcony on the central plaza in the heart of the Old Town. The late Gothic oriels are capped with 2,738 gold-plated copper tiles. It was constructed for Emperor Maximilian I to serve as a royal box where he could sit in luxury and enjoy tournaments in the square below. Completed at the dawn of the 16th century, the Golden Roof was built to celebrate Maximilian's second marriage to Bianca Maria Sforza of Milan (Maximilian was a ruler who expanded his territory through marriage, not conquest). Not wishing to alienate his allies gained by the first marriage to Maria of Burgundy he had an image of himself painted between the two women on the balcony. Inside there’s a museum (don’t miss out on the great view from the royal box) and the Golden Roof is also the permanent secretariat of the organisation Commission Internationale pour la Protection des Alpes.
After visiting the Golden Roof we will turn southwards to the mediaeval City Tower on the left side. As the City Tower is a Historic Place and its existing form has to be preserved, there is no lift and you can only reach its top by climbing 148 steps.
Built between 1442 and 1450, this magnificent tower has a 16th century bulbous cupola under which was the flat of the towers warden situated until the 60s of the 20th century.
If we look to the right – with the Golden Roof behind us – we will see the lavishly adorned Helbling house diagonally opposite of the City Tower.
This original 15th century Gothic mansion is an outstanding example of bourgeois grandeur in the Old Town. In 1730 it was richly decorated with stuccos by Anton Gigl. The house is named after Sebastian Helbling, who operated a small café there in the 19th century.
Let’s now head west along Herzog-Friedrich-Straße towards the Inn Brigde past the Gasthof Goldener Adler on the left side.
The Gasthof Goldener Adler has a 600-year-long tradition of welcoming celebrities and notable persons in its historic walls: Johann Wolfgang Goethe, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, John Glenn just to name a few.
Opposite of the Gasthof Goldener Adler lies the Ottoburg with its red-white-red shutters.
The Ottoburg – an ancient house grown over by wild wine was erected in the 15th century instead of a small castle of the counts of Andechs on orders of Maximilian I. It is directly situated at the old city wall of which parts can be seen still today. For centuries the Ottoburg has been housing an excellent restaurant and wine bar.
To the right side of the Ottoburg you will see the Claudiana.
Claudiana, as the former seat of the Tirolean government is called, was named after Claudia de Medici, who had the building reconstructed in the 17th century. A hall with a beautiful wooden renaissance ceiling which was only accessible during festive events was added then. Portraits of her and her fellow peers are replicas of the statues in the Imperial Church.
If you enter the building through the left or preferentially the right entrance you will reach a court. Cross the court to get to the disabled friendly entrance to the Town Musuem (phone 587 380). A lift takes you to the elevated ground floor of the museum.
The town museum presents different aspects of the town’s history in its permanent exhibition. Archive material illustrates Innsbruck’s characteristics concerning its location, foundation and development, the traffic situation, health, culture, sports, tourism, trades, drinking-water supply, … Many paintings of famous Tirolean artists, pictures of the town, mediaeval documents, rare realities, posters and post cards tell interesting stories about the town and its inhabitants.
After leaving the Town Museum we will get back to the Claudiana and Herzog-Friedrich-Straße.
Now we will continue straight ahead. At the end of Kiebachgasse we will turn left and reach the beginning of Maria-Theresien-Straße after passing through Kolbenturm.
St. Ann’s Column in Maria-Theresien-Straße
On July 26, 1703 (St. Ann's Day) St. Ann's Column was erected right in the centre of Maria-Theresien-Straße to commemorate the liberation from the Bavarian troops which had invaded Tirol earlier. On top of this Corinthian column built out of red marble is a statue of St. Mary. Surrounding the column are statues of Saints Cassian, Vigilius, George and Ann, built by Christoforo Bendetti, an Italian sculptor from Trento.
From St. Ann’s Column we will walk back to the Old Town and the Golden Roof. In front of the Golden Roof we will turn right to Hofgasse. At the end of this lane we will pass the former town gate and reach the Imperial Church.
If you want to visit the Imperial Church please call 59489-510. A staff member will then open the door which is normally only open during church services. Via a plain ramp you get direct access to the large church with the cenotaph of Emperor Maximilian I.
The impressive church can easily be explored in a wheelchair. Another ramp leads to a quiet, peaceful court which sometimes is the venue for various events.
The Imperial Church harbors the unique (empty) tomb of Emperor Maximilian I who had a large influence on Innsbruck and is buried in Wiener Neustadt. Thirty years after Maximilian’s death were 28 life-size, bronze figures finished, created and cast by artists like Albrecht Dürer. As the figures had never been taken to Wiener Neustadt and remained in Innsbruck, they were brought to the church built between 1553 and 1563. Archduke Ferdinand II and his bourgeois wife Philippine Welser are buried in the Silver Chapel. In the northern bay stands the tomb of the Tyrolean freedom fighter Andreas Hofer who was shot dead in Mantua in 1810.
The Volkskunstmuseum is not accessible at the moment; however it should be renovated next year. It’s best to leave the court via the entrance of the Volkskunstmuseum (mind the 15cm-high step at the door).
Now cross the street in front of the Court Church in order to reach Leopoldsbrunnen Fountain opposite of the Imperial Palace.
The equestrian statue of the fountain, situated on Rennweg Street, is the oldest surviving depiction of a rearing horse north of the Alps. Its rider, Archduke Leopold V, was the ruler of Tirol from 1619 to 1632. Bronze statues of goddesses and sea deities were created by Caspar Gras. The original figures can be admired at the Ferdinandeum Museum.
Our wheelchair city tour ends here, exactly opposite of the Imperial Palace where the disabled friendly parking sites are located and where our tour has started.
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