Visiting Schloss Ambras Innsbruck

After breakfast, Inna and I decided to walk to Schloss Ambras Innsbruck (a 4.2km/1-hour walk through downtown Innsbruck).

As we walked through Innsbruck, we noticed the various shops (including numerous hair salons). When we reached the south part of Innsbruck, we noticed some of the uglier/cheaper housing (rectangular apartment buildings where probably pensioners/retired people reside). We saw excellent public transportation everywhere, including buses, trams, and scooters. There were plenty of bicycles around too (even during winter).

We were tired from the long walk to the castle and next time will take the bus.

Here are a few details about Ambras Castle:

Schloss Ambras is a late Renaissance castle now a national museum housing portrait collections, art & an armory.

According to Wikipedia: 

Ambras Castle is a Renaissance castle and palace located in the hills above Innsbruck, Austria. Ambras Castle is 632 meters (2,073 ft) above sea level. Considered one of the most popular tourist attractions of Tyrol, Ambras Castle was built in the 16th century on the spot of an earlier 10th-century castle, which became the seat of power for the Counts of Andechs. The cultural and historical importance of the castle is closely connected with Archduke Ferdinand II (1529–1595) and served as his family's residence from 1567 to 1595. Ferdinand was one of history's most prominent collectors of art. The princely sovereign of Tyrol, son of Emperor Ferdinand I, ordered that the medieval fortress at Ambras be turned into a Renaissance castle as a gift for his wife Philippine Welser. The cultured humanist from the House of Habsburg accommodated his world-famous collections in a museum: the collections, still in the Lower Castle built specifically for that museum's purpose, make Ambras Castle one of the oldest museums in the world.

We reached the castle from its North side and had to hike uphill to reach the upper and lower castles. 

Initially, we were tired and cold from the walk and stopped by the Upper Castle (which had an open cafe) to warm up. We ordered a hot chocolate and an affogato (the cafe did not accept credit cards and we only had 10 euros cash on hand).

While Inna rested at the cafe, she encouraged me to visit the armory, as she was not interested in looking at medieval armor and weapons.

I walked to the lower castle, purchased one adult ticket (14 euros), and started the tour of the following galleries:

• Armory of Heroes
• Chamber of Personal Armor (and Turkish Chamber)
• Baroque Armory
• The Chamber of Art and Wonders
• Ambras Hall of Antiquities
• Spanish Hall (skipped by me)

I enjoyed getting a closer look at the shiny armor from the 16 - 17th centuries. I was particularly impressed by the giant armor created for Bartlma Bon (he must have been over 8 feet tall!)

Some of the armor is from the 30-Year War. According to Wikipedia:

Archduke Ferdinand II's idea of a museum was a novelty: he systematically collected armor from famous personalities of his time. 

He presented this armor "to the eternal memory" of that person - mostly military commanders - in the "Heldenrüstkammer" (Heroes' Armoury); some on display today still in the original 16th-century showcases. 

His "Rüstkammern" (Armouries) contains very rare examples of arms and armor from the 15th century which originally came from the collections of Emperor Maximilian I and Archduke Sigismund. 

Armour for tournaments like the German joust or the German course, and the armor of the court's giant Bartlmä Bon, who took part in the tournament in Vienna in 1560, can be seen. 

The "Leibrüstkammer" (Court Armoury) includes the archduke's private armor and the armor of the court of Innsbruck. Ferdinand's collection of armor was one of the most important of its kind, not only because of the collection idea but also because of the quality and quantity of his objects. 

After finishing the tour, I returned to Inna at the upper castle and we caught the "M" bus to return us to Innsbruck Hotel.

 

Schloss Ambras Innsbruck Report

Highlights

• Visiting the Armory of Heroes, Chamber of Personal Armor
• Spanish Hall
  

Lowlights

• Lunch Eatery did not accept credit cards (only cash)
  

Links

• Schloss Ambras Innsbruck (castle)