The Hofkirche is one of the main attractions of the city of Innsbruck. It is located in the Old Town and is directly adjacent to the Hofburg Palace. The church itself is a large Gothic building, distinguished by its graceful spire with an onion dome. The Hofkirche houses the marble cenotaph of Emperor Maximilian I.
It was in memory of this outstanding ruler of the Holy Roman Empire, who died in 1519, that the church was erected. It was completed in 1553. Curiously, its external appearance is almost entirely in the Gothic style, but the main portal was made in accordance with the Renaissance style that was spreading at that time. The interior of the church is largely Baroque, as the original interior was badly damaged in the earthquake of 1689. The luxurious main altar dates back to 1755. Also worth a look is the ancient chapel from 1578, famous for its altar of the Virgin Mary, made of pure silver. The Archduke Ferdinand II of Austria is buried here and built the Ambras Palace, three kilometres from the city centre.
Of course, however, the black marble cenotaph of Maximilian I, located in the central part of the cathedral, deserves special attention. The work on this masterpiece of the German Renaissance was carried out over 80 years. The sarcophagus is decorated with bronze reliefs telling about the life of the crown prince, and on the sarcophagus itself are monumental sculptures depicting the kneeling emperor and symbols of the four virtues. The cenotaph is also surrounded by 28 freestanding bronze monuments to Emperor Maximilian's ancestors.
Also buried in the Hofkirche church is the Austrian national hero Andreas Hofer, organiser of the partisan resistance against the French and Bavarian invaders during the Napoleonic Wars.
The cenotaph is surrounded by 28 freestanding bronze monuments to the ancestors of Emperor Maximilian.
