Old Town and the Golden Roof

What it is

Innsbruck's old town, the Altstadt, is the medieval core of the city: a few streets with arcades between the River Inn and the Hofburg, the Habsburg palace. It can be explored on foot in an hour or two and seen from the outside for free. Its main street, the Herzog-Friedrich-Straße, ends at the Goldenes Dachl, the Golden Roof, the symbol of the city.

The Golden Roof

The building was erected in 1420 as the Neuhof, residence of the princes of the Tyrol. Between 1497 and 1500, the architect Niklas Türing the Elder added to it, commissioned by Maximilian I, then king and later emperor, the oriel that has made it famous: a covered balcony with 2,657 fire-gilded copper tiles, built to celebrate the turn of the century.

Look at the reliefs on the balustrade. They show Maximilian with his two wives, Mary of Burgundy and Bianca Maria Sforza, a chancellor, a jester, a dancer and coats of arms. What you see are copies: the originals are in the Tiroler Landesmuseum.

The Golden Roof museum

Inside is the Museum Goldenes Dachl, at Herzog-Friedrich-Straße 15. It tells the story of the building and the emperor with antique pieces and multimedia displays, and lets you step out onto the balcony itself above the street. It has children's stations, a clue game and a stairlift to the balcony.

• Hours: from May to September, every day from 10 to 17. From October to April, Tuesday to Sunday from 10 to 17; closed on Mondays. In the 2026–2027 season it is also closed on 3 and 4 November, 1 December, from 24 to 26 December and from 31 December to 1 January.
• Admission: €6 adults; €3 pensioners and students; free for under-6s and with the Innsbruck Card. Family, €12.50.
• Combined tickets: with the Stadtmuseum, €7.20; with the Stadtmuseum and the city tower, €10.50.

The city tower

A few steps away, the Stadtturm, completed in 1450, is half a century older than the Golden Roof. It is 51 m tall and its viewing platform, at 31 m, is reached by 133 steps. For almost 450 years watchmen warned from the top of fires and dangers, and its lower floors were a prison. The onion dome was added a century later.

It is open every day from 10 to 17, and until 20:00 from June to September, from 15 November to 23 December and on 31 December. Admission costs €4.50 adults, €3 students, under-17s and pensioners, and €2 children aged 6 to 15.

How to explore it

Start at the Golden Roof, climb the tower to see the rooftops with the Nordkette behind, and follow the arcades to the Hofburg and the Hofkirche, at the edge of the old town. To the south, the Herzog-Friedrich-Straße leads into the Maria-Theresien-Straße, the shopping street of the new town. The Hofburg and the Hofkirche have separate admission: check hours and prices on their websites.

Getting there

The old town is pedestrianised. Leave the car in a public car park in the city or arrive by tram or bus. From the Golden Roof, in five minutes you are at the Altstadt station of the Hungerburgbahn, the funicular to the Nordkette, which also stops at the Alpenzoo.

When to go

First thing in the morning, before the museums open, the streets are quieter. In December the old town hosts its Christmas market and the tower is open until 20:00, so you can see the illuminated rooftops.