Evening tour through Innsbruck: Of flying fish and empty graves

First things first: taking part in a city tour in your own home town is an eye-opener that I can only warmly recommend to anyone and everyone. With the Innsbruck by Night Tour at the beginning of April, I got to know Innsbruck's history in a way that breathed new life into stone, dates and names. Long story short: things have always been a bit absurd in the city.

In the heart of the Alps

I owe my new wealth of knowledge to Verena Abenthung from Per Pedes who guided a group of interested tourists - and me, a local weed - through Innsbruck's winding old town. The sun had dried up the last traces of the previous rainy days and promised some warmth. While I was still half imagining in my head what the weather would do to the skiing conditions, Verena started with the basics of Innsbruck. Sports city, university city, an airport for pilots' nerves of steel. I don't want to withhold a few figures: In the greater Innsbruck area, there are around 35,000 students for every 140,000 inhabitants, and the airport records around 900,000 passengers a year. Not bad at all for a city that began in Roman times as a settlement at a convenient junction in the Alps. Fittingly, the area was called "Land im Gebirge" (land in the mountains) before it was given its current name after the Counts of Tyrol.

Historical pavement

Over the course of the hour and a half tour, Verena traced the arc from Margarete Maultasch, the last of the Counts of Tyrol, through various generations of the Habsburgs to the establishment of a pedestrian zone in front of Goldenen Dachl. As we wandered through the old town, it became clear time and again where time had literally swallowed up the past. For example, at our first stop just behind the tourist office, where we learned that the old town wall had been almost completely absorbed by the houses built later. The old town gate, which once stood guard at the entrance to the old town towards Maria-Theresien-Straße, has also been a thing of the past since the 18th century. All that remains of it is a plaque on one of the neighboring houses and an anecdote: the five town gates were opened at sunrise and closed at sunset. If you messed up your time management, you might not be able to get into the city in the evening - hence the famous (in German at least) Torschlusspanik.

Four Viecher and a city tower

By the way, a friend of Innsbruck's history enthusiasts is Albrecht Dürer. He made some drawings of the city around 1500, which gave us an insight into the past on the tour. The city tower underwent a striking change: while Dürer painted it with Gothic spires, today it has a Renaissance dome. There was no destruction or other mischief behind this, just the desire of the townspeople of the time for something more modern.

With a view of the tower, we stand in Vier-Viecher-Eck, where the signs of the Goldener Hirsch, Goldener Löwe, Roter Adler and the Weiße Rössl inns can still be seen today. Here we get an introduction to everyday life in Innsbruck's Middle Ages, between animal husbandry in the old town, business premises and the 200 or so earth movements recorded each year. Try not to see earthquake props on every corner after this information.

Ladies last

The more recent past was also mentioned. We learned that the replacement of 130-year-old drinking water pipes was the reason for the extensive construction work in the old town. The story rhymes, after all, the old town was once dominated by crafts - except for those that smoked, stank or made noise, which had to stay outside the city walls.

In front of the patisserie Munding verena explained to us that this was the first ladies' café in the city. Women were not allowed in pubs without male company, and the ladies' café was a tentative step forward. Albeit with earlier closing times and without alcohol. Spoilsport.

There's more humor a few meters further up. I was amazed when I first noticed a fishing rod on the roof against a snowy backdrop, complete with a little fish wriggling in the wind. I've been walking this path for a quarter of a century now, but without the guide I would never have noticed this amusing detail at this height.

Over the Inn

At the Ottoburg we have a magnificent view of the Nordkette mountain range. There was already a bridge over the Inn at around this height in 1180, which was to remain the only one in the area for hundreds of years - Innsbruck still takes its name from it today. There used to be a toll booth on the bridge and you had to pay a fee to cross. As a daily bridge user, I am extremely grateful that this practice has not continued.

Verena explains how the Nordkette fits into the Karwendel and why it is not as high as the mountains to the south. In front of the Golden Roof, we then learn why Emperor Maximilian I regularly filled his pockets in Innsbruck, how he expanded the Habsburg Empire with weddings, his tragic love for Mary of Burgundy and why the Golden Roof was a medieval marketing stroke of genius.

Resurrection of a cathedral

We continue down to the cathedral - next time you stand in front of it, pay attention to which windows are real and which are fake. Inside, we marvel at the Baroque splendor with its curved lines flowing into each other. At the front of the altar, the famous painting of Mary Help of Christians by Lukas Cranach the Elder is currently covered due to Lent. Instead, around 30 copies of it have been painted in the old town alone. This year's Lenten cloth: a print by Andy Warhol, „Repent and sin no more“. As we marvel at the details, we learn that the cathedral was badly damaged in the Second World War and is now characterized by detailed reconstructions. The Nazis forbade photographing the cathedral ruins at the time - today you can take as many photos as you like for a small contribution.

My blogger colleague Werner has put the fascinating story of how the famous Madonna escaped the war damage in an article that is well worth reading.

Hofburg reloaded

At the last stop, in front of the Hofburg, our friend Dürer helps us again, as there is almost nothing left of the original castle. Maria Theresa had it completely renovated for the wedding of her son Leopold II. In the middle of the 18th century. Verena explains to us how the 400 or so rooms are used today. Spoiler: Heating should be a nightmare.

Younger, but still in good shape: The neighboring Nordkettenbahn, whose cable car sections were built 97 years ago. The station buildings are listed and have been preserved in their original state, while the cable car technology has fortunately evolved. From our position, we can also see the Hofkirche, whose façade always reminded me of a clamoring nun as a child. Verena explains to us that work on it went on for over 80 years and that Emperor Max had wanted a high tomb with 40 gilded figures as guardians. The result was 28 bronze figures and a tomb that was as impressive as it was empty - on his deathbed, the emperor decided that he wanted to be buried at his birthplace in Wiener Neustadt.

Of course, there was much more to learn. Anyone who wants to brush up on their arsenal of fun facts about Innsbruck can join the tour every Tuesday and Thursday at 5 p.m. until April 30, 2025. From May 1 to September 27, 2025, Innsbruck by Night starts every Friday at 5:30 p.m., with the Innsbruck Card it is even free of charge. The meeting point is always in the hall of Innsbruck Information at Burggraben 3.

Information about sightseeing in Innsbruck

Pictures, unless otherwise indicated: Theresa Kirchmair