Discover Hofburg, the Imperial Palace of Innsbruck

Construction of the Palace as we know it today was completed in 1500 under Emperor Maximilian I (1459-1519). He completed the constructions carried out by his ancestors to create a large complex that would later be known as the Palace.

The sovereign gave the site a large, majestic Gothic courtyard, a tower of coats of arms and even a room dedicated to his hunting trophies (he was very fond of chamois hunting).

250 years later, Empress Maria Theresa visited the castle, finding its style outdated. She wanted to bring it up to date, in the Viennese Rococo style (lighter and more colourful than Gothic), and called in renowned artists to carry out the renovation: Constantin Johann Walter and Nicolò Pacassi. The interior design was entrusted to Martin van Meytens and his pupils, as well as Franz Anton Maulbertsch.

To celebrate the completion of the work, Maria Theresa wished to hold the wedding of her son Leopold II in the palace. But tragedy struck to spoil the evening: while the party was in full swing, Maria Theresa's husband, François-Étienne I, died suddenly. Deeply affected by this tragedy, Maria Theresa turned the room where François-Étienne had died into a chapel.

On the triumphal arch, which was being built at the time, the empress decided to have both sides engraved: one commemorates Leopold II's marriage, while the second evokes mourning. Finally, the empress created a convent, where 12 Tyrolean nobles were to pray daily in memory of the late emperor. The convent survived the various wars, and you can still visit the building today.

In the 19th century, Empress Sissi also contributed to the building: she had precious neo-rococo furniture by the artist August La Vigne brought in, and rolls of precious silk used to line the walls and create sumptuous curtains. A real whim, considering that the empress only stayed in Innsbruck for a few nights in her life. Despite this, her flat has been luxuriously renovated, and is one of the highlights of your visit.

The ceremonial rooms renovated by Maria Theresa, the Guard Room, the Hall of the Giants and the Council Room, form the heart of the museum. Large paintings of the battles of Charles V of Lorraine (Ottoman Wars) are on display, as well as a gallery devoted to portraits of the Habsburg family (of particular note are the sixteen children of the empress, who was a very busy mother during her lifetime).

Maria Theresa wanted to turn the palace into a place of family commemoration, and it certainly has! You will also see some superb furniture in the state rooms (the chairs by Johann Geyer are remarkable!).

As your tour progresses, you will see the imperial flats, all of which bear a dominant colour decided by Sissi in the 19th century. The tour concludes with the chapel built by Maria Theresa in tribute to her husband, and the Tower of Arms designed by Maximilian (so named because it is adorned with the coats of arms of the territories owned or claimed by the Emperor).