Golden Roof: Innsbruck’s Most Famous Landmark

Innsbruck, the capital of Tyrol, is a sight to behold! Rough rock towers, alpine hayfields, and jingling cowbells characterise this neighbourhood. Amid its mediaeval Altstadt, Golden Roof, baroque cathedrals, beautiful Habsburg castle, and Olympic Ski Jump with roaring alpine surroundings, Innsbruck is a fantastic portrayal of Austria. During my time in Innsbruck, I was able to see nearly all of the city’s notable sites, including the one I’ll be talking about today. The Goldenes Dachl or Golden Roof is Innsbruck’s most famous landmark and a golden miracle.

Golden Roof is centred in an antique structure in Innsbruck’s Old Town, with paintings aplenty and 2657 gleaming golden copper tiles. This massive upper-story Gothic bay, with a window supported by brackets, was built for Roman Emperor Maximilian I in the 14th century. The copper tiles commemorate Emperor Maximilian’s lavish wedding to Bianca Maria Sforza. With carved contours and wall paintings, the building Oriel is augmented. 

The Emperor and Queen sat in this gallery and watched ceremonies, tournaments, and other public events take place in the plaza. A railing with eight carved coats of arms and two flanking boards typifying Maximilian’s empires can be seen on the first level. Above the ensigns are murals by Jörg Kölderer from the 15th century depicting knights and heraldic flags from the Roman Empire and Tyrol. Maximilian is shown in two reliefs in the centre. The Emperor consults with his 2nd-wife Bianca Maria Sforza, holding an apple, on the left, and his treasured 1st-wife, Maria, on the right.

The second-floor balustrade is adorned, with eight carved reliefs (six facing the square and two flanking insets) depicting various drawings associated with Maximilian’s lifestyle. The Emperor, his chancellor, and a jester are depicted in the centre relief. Edged reliefs depict Moorish dancers performing an Andalusian acrobatic dance. For the emperor and his entourage, this antique royal house functioned as a regal receptacle. The ornamentation on the existing building, on the other hand, are all replicas.

The original reliefs are permanently on show in Ferdinandeum, the Tyrolean State Museum. This museum is worth a visit because of its magnificent interiors and exteriors. The hideous tournament helmets, designed to resemble the Turks of the Ottoman Empire’s competitive Ottoman Empire, are noteworthy. Golden Roof has built-in dazzling tones that shimmer when the sunrays brush the copper shingles.

Golden Roof is in the centre of Innsbruck, next to the Town Tower and the Church of St. Jakob, and is surrounded by many cafés, restaurants, and stores. The Alpenzoo is 1.5 km distant, while Ambras Castle and Innsbruck Airport are also a 3-minute drive away. Fun Fact: A scene from Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif’s Bollywood blockbuster Tiger Zinda Hai was shot here!

Address: Herzog-Friedrich-Straße 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Entrance Fee: EUR 4
Timings: 10 AM – 5 PM

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6 thoughts on “Golden Roof: Innsbruck’s Most Famous Landmark

  1. Hi Veidehi,

    Way cool. I like the idea of a Royal Box, built for the Emperor. Pretty sure my wife traveled through this area when she visited Austria nearly a decade ago. Thanks for sharing 🙂 Ryan

  2. Beautiful and opulent details on the gallery! Cant wait to see this in Salu’s movie 😉

  3. Looks like a splendid place. Good to know the history and film shoot details.. 🙂

  4. I remember this place for the old hotel and the lovely street shopping that I did here. I loved walking around here, there is an old university right behind this as well that has a lovely park. It was fun just sitting on the lawn and seeing life around.

  5. The golden roof notwithstanding, the relief work seems even more interesting to me. Very nice post. loved it.

  6. Golden roof of Innsbruck looks so charming, Veidehi! I would surely love to tour this place someday.

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