Golden Roof

In the heart of the historic centre of Innsbruck, there is the world-famous Golden Roof, the symbol of the city. The emperor Maximilian I (1459 - 1519) had the late Gothic bay built on the occasion of his wedding around 1500 AD in order to defeat the rumours regarding the imperial financial difficulties. Moreover it served as lodge in different performances and tournaments. The building itself, however, had been built by archduke Friedrich IV in the early 15th century.

The bay is 16 m wide and the roof is 3.7 m high and is tiled with 2,657 fire-gilded copper shingles. Below the fringe of the roof you can see reliefs portraying the emperor Maximilian I with his wives Mary of Burgundy and Bianca Maria Sforza together with Morris dancers. Did you know that the original relief tiles were replaced by copies in the 20th century? Nowadays six of the original tiles can be admired in the Golden Roof Museum.

The museum was completely restructured for the 500th anniversary of the death of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, and was reopened in February 2019. It tells with contemporary exhibits and interesting texts the life of the emperor. Also children have been included - they can make a journey in time with the special kid's stations and a mystery rally. Particular attention, however, was given to a barrier-free access, combining the protection of this historical monument with modern construction standards in the best way. Thus, the balcony of the Golden Roof is now accessible to everyone thanks to a special stair lift. The museum experience is completed by the special exhibition "Was bleibt?" (What remains?).