The gilded tiles
2,657 imperial coppers glittering since 1500.
Erbb — CC BY-SA 3.0 · FkMohr — CC BY-SA 3.0 de · Guillaume Baviere from Uppsala, Sweden — CC BY-SA 2.0 · -wuppertaler — CC BY-SA 4.0
The Golden Roof is Innsbruck's absolute symbol: a balcony of 2,657 gilded copper tiles built by Emperor Maximilian I around 1500 to overlook his square's festivities — and beneath it beats the entire old town: colourful Gothic lanes under arcades, tower houses, and the Nordkette range sealing the street-ends as a colossal rock wall — Austria's densest mountain-over-city scene. The small museum behind the balcony tells Maximilian and his age (small ticket) — though truly the square itself is the sight: coffee facing the gold, the ornate baroque Helblinghaus beside it, the arcade passages a centuries' walk. This is Innsbruck's obligatory beginning — and everything walks from it: tower, Hofburg and cathedral in minutes.
2,657 imperial coppers glittering since 1500.
The range sealing the lane-ends — Innsbruck's signature.
Baroque ornament like cream on a Gothic front.
Herzog-Friedrich-Strasse 15, 6020 Innsbruck
The HelblinghausThe Helblinghaus stands directly opposite the Golden Roof in the heart of the ol1 minute walk4.7
The City TowerThe City Tower is the Gothic lanes' balcony: a fourteenth-century watchmen's tow1 minute walk4.7
The TrautsonhausA Gothic-era house in the old town carrying the name of the Trautson family, amo1 minute walk4.6
The BurgriesenhausA historic house on the Hofgasse in the old town, between the Golden Roof and th1 minute walk3.1
The Imperial HofburgInnsbruck's Hofburg is Austria's third imperial palace after Vienna's Schönbrunn1 minute walk4.3Two are ideal: day one the city (Roof, Hofburg, Hofkirche, tower), day two the mountain and edges (Nordkette, Ambras, Swarovski or Bergisel). The one-day passer: city morning, Nordkette afternoon — the Card serving the equation.