!!!Innsbruck
Innsbruck, Tirol, statutory town in the district of Innsbruck, alt.
575 m, pop. 118,112 (1981: pop. 117,287), area
104.89 km%%sup 2/%, provincial capital of Tirol, situated at the
confluence of the rivers Inn and Sill, surrounded by the Nordkette
range (north chain) of the Karwendel Mountains (Hafelekarspitze
2,334 m, Rumer Spitze 2,454 m) in the north, by the
foothills of the Zentralkette mountain chain (Patscherkofel
2,246 m, Glungezer 2,677 m) in the south; the Martinswand
face situated in front divides the Inn Valley into the western Upper
Inn Valley and the Lower Inn Valley to the east. Economic,
administrative and cultural centre of Tirol, bi-seasonal tourist
centre (1,347,789 overnight stays) and congress town; venue of the
Olympic Winter Games of 1964 and 1976. Cadastral districts: Innsbruck,
Wilten, Pradl, Hoetting, Muehlau, Arzl, Amras, Igls, Vill. - Seat of
the provincial government, of the Landtag, all provincial (school
inspectorate, police command, forestry headquarters, office for the
disabled, etc.) and municipal authorities, district commission, Higher
Regional Court, provincial court and prison, provincial supreme police
and fiscal authorities, Regional Directorate of Post and Telekom
Austria AG (Tirol and Vorarlberg), Federal Railways directorate and
federal police headquarters, military command of Tirol, Conrad, Eugen
and Standschuetzen Barracks, federal office for the protection of
monuments, federal office for civil aviation and of weights, measures
and surveying, federal building superintendence II, federal
institutions for food analyses, physical education and veterinary
medical examinations, federal forest research institute, federal
institute for bacteriological-serological analyses, federal agency for
quality control, federal asylum office, Regional Centre of the Central
Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics, customs office, provincial
headquarters of the employment services, chamber of labour, economic
chamber, chamber of agricultural and allied workers, provincial
chamber of agriculture, and other chambers and representations of
professional groups, old-age pension insurance institutions for
workers, farmers, employees, and of industry and trade, social
insurance agency for farmers and of industry and trade, Tirolean
health and social insurance district office, Austrian skiing
association, bishopric (episcopal diocesan authorities of Innsbruck,
episcopal priest seminary), "Canisianum" theological convict, Jesuit
college and numerous communities of Christian orders, various
religious communities (Protestant pastorate, Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day Saints, New-Apostolic Church, Buddhist centre, Jewish
community), newspapers ("Tiroler Tageszeitung", "Tiroler
Bauernzeitung", etc.), numerous consulting centres, Leopold Franz
University, summer academy of fine arts, department of musical
education of the University Mozarteum in Salzburg, Biomedical
Institute for research into ageing (Austrian Academy of Sciences),
Fachhochschulen and other academic institutions; provincial hospital
(university hospitals), military hospital, sanatorium, private clinic,
homes for children, teenagers and girls, children's village, Caritas
(Catholic welfare organisation) central diocesan office, 7 social
welfare offices; consulates, Naturopazentrum centre (Council of
Europe); congress hall, ORF Austrian broadcasting corporation
(provincial studio Tirol), Tirolean Provincial Theatre/Landestheater,
Innsbruck Symphony Orchestra, Tirolean Folk Theatre (Volksbuehne),
Innsbruck basement theatre, Theater an der Sill, peasant theatre,
Breinoesslbuehne theatre, Tirolean puppet theatre, Tirolean Provincial
Museum, Ferdinandeum, Tiroler Landeskundliches Museum/Museum on
Tirolean Area Studies (Armoury), Museum of Tirolean Folk Art,
Maximilianeum, Glockenmuseum bell foundry, Alpenvereinsmuseum (Alpine
museum), Kaiserschuetzen Museum (Museum of the Imperial Rifles),
Bergisel Museum, Railway Museum, art hall Innsbruck, Tirolean art
pavilion, several art galleries (Stadtturmgalerie, Theresiengalerie,
Galerie im Palais Taxis), Ambras Castle (art history collection,
gardens); libraries, fair ground (Innsbruck spring and autumn fairs),
Innsbruck Cultural Summer, Music Fair, botanical garden of the
University, Alpine Zoo, Tivoli Stadium on Bergisel mountain
(746 m), Olympic jumping stadium (ski jump) and Olympic ice
stadium (artificial ice hall, speed skating rink), Innsbruck aviation
centre, casino; several types of secondary schools such as academic
Gymnasium, Abendgymnasium (evening classes), 3 Bundes-Gymnasium
and Bundes-Realgymnasium schools, Bundes-Gymnasium and
Bundes-Realgymnasium for working people,
Bundes-Oberstufen-Realgymnasium, Wirtschaftskundliches Realgymnasium
(on economic sciences) of the Ursuline order for girls, schools of the
Sisters of Charity (Oberstufen-Realgymnasium for girls, Bundesanstalt
for kindergarten pedagogics - kindergarten teacher training
institution, vocational school for occupations in social work,
boarding school), Handelsakademie (commercial academy), Hoehere
Bundeslehranstalt for economic professions, Hoehere Bundeslehranstalt
for fashion and dressmaking, Hoehere Technische Bundeslehranstalt (for
technology), Hoehere Lehranstalt for tourism, 10 vocational schools,
Fachschule of the Caritas for occupations in social work, school for
midwives, Waldorf school, school for the blind and visually
handicapped, special school for seriously disabled persons, girls'
boarding school of the Don Bosco Sisters, education centre West for
occupations in the (public) health service, schools for medical
technologists and nursing schools as part of university hospitals,
Berufspaedagogische Akademie des Bundes/federal academy of vocational
teacher training, Paedagogisches Institut des Bundes/federal
pedagogical institute, Paedagogisches Institut des Landes
Tirol/pedagogical institute of the Province of Tirol,
Religionspaedagogisches Institut der Dioezese/diocesan institute of
religious education, adult education centre, Tirolean Alpine
mountaineering school, mountaineers' school of the Austrian Alpine
Mountaineering Club (Alpenverein); municipal works with the
run-of-river power stations of Muehlau (built 1951, 5.8 MW),
Lower Sillwerk (built 1966, 28 MW), Upper Sillwerk (built 1903,
17.0 MW); main railway station and western railway station,
Innsbruck - Kranebitten airport, Olympic village, Hungerburgbahn
(funicular railway to Hungerburg, 868 m), Nordkettenbahn (gondola
ropeway to Seegrube and Hafelekarspitze, mountain station
2,269 m), Muttereralmbahn (gondola ropeway up Mutterer Alm,
1,608 m).
\\
''Economy:'' 66,731 persons employed (1991), about 83 % of whom
in the service sector (mainly personal, social and public services;
trade; financial, credit and insurance businesses); in recent years
numerous industrial enterprises have been transferred to the
surrounding municipalities, the industrial area is now located at
Rossau in the eastern part of town; main industries: breweries, metal
processing, mechanical engineering, some chemical firms (laminates),
production of building materials, soaps, food (flour, edible oil),
soft drinks, textiles (shirts, loden), feed stuff; wood processing,
electrical industry (sockets), printing shops, construction industry.
\\
''History:'' Archaeological finds from all epochs of prehistory since
the New Stone Age in the urban district of Innsbruck. The Innsbruck
Basin has been continuously settled for 3,000 years (Pre-Roman place
names, urnfield graves in Wilten, Amras, Hoetting and Muehlau). 46/47
A.D. the Romans built the Via Claudia Augusta and erected the civil
and military settlement Veldidena, which became the village and abbey
of Wilten (1138 Premonstratensians) in the Middle Ages. Around
1165-1170 the Bavarian counts of Andechs erected a market settlement
beyond Hoetting, had a bridge constructed across the River Inn
(1167/83 name Inspruk), 1180 acquired the area south of it and laid
out the original town there, which around 1187/1204 was granted a town
charter. In 1263 Innsbruck became part of the county of Tirol, in 1363
it came into the possession of the Habsburgs and became ducal
residence and centre of the province in 1420. Important buildings were
erected under Maximilian I (Goldenes Dachl, balcony with gilded
copper roof, Innsbruck's chief landmark), during the time of
Ferdinand I (Hofkirche Court Church), Archduke Ferdinand II
(Ambras Castle), Archduke Leopold V (Opera and Schauspielhaus
theatre) and in the Baroque era (Hofburg Court Palace, Landhaus
provincial government building, reconstruction of the Cathedral).
During the Gothic era the Tuering family, and during the Baroque
period the Gumpp family were responsible for most of the building
activity which gave the town its characteristic appearance. University
founded in 1669 (1810-1826 closed). Since the construction of a
railway (1856-1858 from Munich, 1864-1867 via Brenner pass to
Bozen/Bolzano (South Tyrol), 1882-1884 across Arlberg mountain)
textile and food enterprises, and electric power stations have been
built, as well as new town quarters on both sides of Maria-Theresien
Street and north of the Hofgarten gardens with many hotels, public
buildings and residential roads. Since the middle of the 19%%sup th/%
century, systematic building activities in the town districts Saggen
(north) and Pradl (east) as well as in the university quarter. In 1904
the suburbs Pradl and Wilten were incorporated into the town, in 1938
Hoetting, Muehlau and Amras, in 1940 Arzl and in 1942 Vill and Igls.
From December 1943 to April 1945 the town suffered 21 bomb attacks and
was heavily damaged. In the course of reconstruction from 1948, new
town quarters have been created, and when the town was awarded the
European Prize in 1964 these initiatives finally also won
international recognition. In the 1960sand 1970s the town experienced
a phase of expansion marked by the construction of the two Olympic
villages. As Innsbruck is situated in a valley basin there is an
extreme shortage of building ground, so that possibilities for further
expansion became very limited quickly. The latest major housing
project was the Peerhofsiedlung (about 500 flats, 1985-1990); nowadays
hardly any low-cost publicly subsidised housing is available, strong
suburbanisation tendencies, building activities mainly in the
surrounding area (district of Innsbruck-Land, substantial population
growth in the municipalities of Rum and Voels). As there are
relatively few old buildings, there is only little need for
redevelopment. The current trend in town planning is directed towards
the development of densely built-up town centres by extending existing
buildings. The basis of development planning is the urban expansion
scheme of 1980 (updated in 1983/84) with special emphasis on measures
for environmental protection, improving the quality of life and
optimising town traffic (traffic plan of 1989/90).
\\
''Buildings:'' Despite several fires and the damage caused by World
War II, Innsbruck has preserved its architectural monuments to a
large extent. Next to the Innbruecke bridge, there is the so-called
Ottoburg Castle (built around 1495), beside it the Old Governmental
Building (Altes Regierungsgebaeude) with the Claudiasaal hall,
opposite the former castle of the Andechs family and the inn "Goldener
Adler" ("Golden Eagle"). On Herzog-Friedrich street several buildings
with arcades, such as Goldenes Dachl (with Museum Maximilianeum),
Helblinghaus, Katzunghaus with reliefs (16%%sup th/% century), Old
Town Hall (built 1358, refashioned in 1543 and 1691) with the City
Tower (Stadtturm), built 1442-1450, and Kohleggerhaus with frescoes
(15%%sup th/% century). The Trautsonhaus (1541) together with the
Deutschordenshaus (residential building of the Teutonic order, first
documented mention 1453, rebuilt 1530-1534) is the most important
secular building from the transitional period between Gothic and
Renaissance. Archduke Sigmund had the Burgriesenhaus built from
1487-1490. The Cathedral Church (from 1643 parish church, since 1964
bishop's church) was built 1717-1724 by J. J. Herkommer on the
site of Romanesque and Gothic buildings; frescoes by C. D. Asam
and stucco by E. Qu. Asam, in the high altar, Mariahilf
miraculous image by L. Cranach the Elder, tombs of Maximilian III
(d. 1618) and Archduke Eugen (d. 1954). The cathedral, heavily damaged
on December 16%%sup th/% , 1944, was reconstructed 1946-1950, the
exterior renovated in 1974 and the interior between 1990 and 1993;
next to it, the provincial government building and congress hall
(former court theatre Dogana, University library); opposite, the
Provincial Theatre (1844-1846) and municipal hall. On Rennweg street
are located the Hofgarten gardens (since 1402), the provincial studio
of the ORF (1969-1971) and the valley station of the funicular to
Hungerburg mountain, near the top station Panoramahaus (1907) with
Giant Panoramic Painting of the 3%%sup rd/% Battle (1809) on Bergisel
mountain. Next to the Hofburg palace and the former Adeliges
Damenstift (religious institution for ladies of rank) is the
Hofkirche Church with the Maximilian, Tomb of, the former abbey
(until 1775 Franciscans, then Theresianische Ritterakademie (Theresian
Knights' Academy), theological seminary and until 1910 Gymnasium
secondary school) houses the Museum of Tirolean Folk Art, in
Universitaetsstrasse street are the Jesuit college (built 1562,
enlarged 1643 and 1672/73), which has been a university since 1773,
now housing the theological faculty, and the Akademisches Gymnasium
secondary school. The Jesuit church was built 1627-1640, renovated
1946-1953; tomb of Archduke Leopold V and Claudia of Medici;
beside it the Palais Tannenberg-Enzenberg (around 1720) and Palais
Pfeiffersberg (now Jesuit convict). In Museumsstrasse street Tirolean
Provincial Museum Ferdinandeum (department on area studies in the
Armoury of Maximilian I); in Maria-Theresien-Strasse street town
hall (built in the 18%%sup th/% century combining 3 Gothic
buildings), Landhaus provincial government building (1725-1729, new
part 1938/39) with Palais Fugger-Taxis (from 1679), Palais Trapp
(around 1700) and Troyer-Spaur (1681-1683). Servite church with abbey
(1620-1626) and hospital church (1700/01). Southwest towards the River
Inn, public buildings (courts, provincial general hospital, university
hospitals, schools, university). In the south of Innsbruck, the suburb
of Wilten has a basilica (1751-1755) and Premonstratensian abbey;
next to it Bergisel Mountain with ski jump (1976). In the quarter of
Amras, Ambras Castle. In Hoetting Lichtenthurn Residence (1588),
Buechsenhausen Palace, 1641 built from 2 Renaissance houses, late
Gothic small palace of Weiherburg (first documented mention 1470).
\\
''Monuments:'' Triumphal Gate in commemoration of the wedding of
Leopold II to Maria Ludovica of Spain (and the death of
Franz I), Anna Column (1707) in memory of the resistance against
the Bavarians in 1703, Leopold Fountain (1621), Rudolf Fountain
(1877), Liberation Monument (Befreiungsdenkmal, 1948), Archduke Eugen
Monument in Hofgarten gardens, Andreas Hofer Monument on Bergisel
mountain.
!Literature
H. Hammer, Kunstgeschichte der Stadt Innsbruck, 1952; O.
Stolz, Geschichte der Stadt Innsbruck, 1959; M. Forcher, Innsbruck in
Geschichte und Gegenwart, 1975; F. H. Hye, Innsbrucks Geschichte
und Stadtbild bis zum Anbruch der neuen Zeit, 1980; Oesterreichisches
Staedtebuch, vol. V, part 1, Die Staedte Tirols, 1980; Oe.
Kunsttopographie, vol. 47, 1986; Festschrift 850 Jahre
Praemonstratenser-Chorherrenstift Wilten, 1988; Der Dom zu
St. Jakob, Festschrift 1993.
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