Ambras Castle Austria. Ambras Castle in Austria. December - March

The incredible beauty of the Ambras palace complex is known in every city in Austria. This historical landmark is not to be missed if you find yourself near Innsbruck. Ambras Castle is beautiful, powerful, majestic and extremely charismatic. Its carved ceilings, mosaic doors and ancient frescoes can impress even a seasoned traveler. Ambras is surrounded by a well-kept green park, where you can relax after a long walk through the halls of the palace.

For those interested in history there are some interesting facts. Ambras was reconstructed by order of Emperor Ferdinand II, who made the ancient castle-fortress his actual residence. In addition to the fact that the emperor was a great lover of the arts and was interested in science, he was also distinguished by his courage. Not every august person of that time would have dared to secretly marry a woman of non-aristocratic origin. Ferdinand II, however, became engaged to the beautiful Philippine Welser and settled with her in Innsbruck in a Renaissance-style palace, since her wife was forbidden to come to court.

It is worth noting that Ambras Castle is different from most palaces in Austria. For all its courtliness and grandeur, it is rather a defensive fortress.

It consists of the Upper and Lower castles. Today, two exhibitions are on display in the Lower Castle: the Armory Chamber and a kind of cabinet of curiosities - the Chamber of Arts and Curiosities, or, as it is also called, the Chamber of Curiosities. The Armory is especially loved by boys of all ages - the mass of knightly weapons and medieval armor excites and intrigues. In the old days, the collection of the Armory was one of the richest in Europe. Today, a large number of its exhibits are distributed among numerous museums in Vienna.

Children also really love visiting the Kunstkamera. Original musical instruments, unusual figurines and figurines made of coral, ancient scientific instruments, portraits of strange and scary creatures and other wonders are presented here. The State Spanish Hall, also located in the Lower Castle, was built in the 16th century. It is still considered one of the most beautiful halls of its era in the Renaissance style.

The upper castle will be no less interesting for big and small guests of Ambras. Today it houses a portrait gallery belonging to the Habsburg family. Come here and be amazed at the wealth on display: on the walls of the gallery there are about two hundred paintings by famous world artists: Velazquez, Van Dyck, Titian and other authors.

After walking around the ancient parquet of Ambras and enjoying the rich collections, before leaving, take a look at the local store. Here are memorable accessories designed for buyers of all social levels. The choice is truly huge: children's toy armor and books, CDs, textiles, exact copies of medieval utensils, weapons and helmets, jewelry made from historical models, stationery, postcards and posters, sweets, and, of course, magnets!

Towering over the south-eastern part of Innsbruck, it has a romantic history: it was built on the site of a medieval fortress by order of Archduke Ferdinand II for his beloved Philippine Welzer.

Ambras Castle in Austria

The second son of Emperor Ferdinand I secretly married a girl whose social status did not reach the royal family, and the fruit of their love was not only beautiful children, but also a unique beauty, built in the Renaissance style.

The palace complex consists of two castles – Upper and Lower. In the Upper Castle there is a portrait gallery dedicated to the most influential family in Austria - the Habsburgs. Two hundred paintings were painted by Titian, Velazquez and Van Dyck.

The Lower Castle houses the Chamber of Arts and Curiosities, containing a rich collection of musical instruments, scientific instruments and unusual objects and portraits of strange people collected all over the world. There is also an Armory Hall, consisting of an exhibition of knightly armor.

In the huge Spanish Hall, forty-three meters long and decorated in Renaissance style, the Innsbruck Ancient Music Festival is held annually.

Ambras Castle (Innsbruck) and palace park

Ambient Ambras Castle (Innsbruck) The picturesque park is decorated in French and English styles. On its territory you can find artificial waterfalls and graceful bridges, winding paths and small rocks, lush flower beds and mixed forest, small lakes with ducks and peacocks and ancient grottoes. The surrounding area of ​​the castle can be seen from its high towers.

What is Ambras Castle famous for? This is one of the main decorations of Innsbruck! Find out where it is and why it is worth visiting Ambras Castle.

If you are lucky enough to relax in Innsbruck, be sure to visit the interesting Ambras Castle Museum. Situated on a hilltop near the Inn River, the original building always inspires admiration. Remember the address - Schloßstraße 20!

History of Ambras Castle

The castle has a very long history. The first mentions date back to the 10th century, when it was owned by the Bavarian family Andechs. However, in 1133 the building was completely destroyed.

Various events are often held in the Spanish Hall of the castle, for example, Ambras Palace concerts, Innsbruck Early Music Festivals.

It was only in the 16th century that the territory was taken over by Archduke Ferdinand II, who was known as a great collector. He decided to create a structure on the ruins where he could store his collections of objects from all over the world. And he succeeded. The collections were continually replenished with various objects from different countries, for example, compasses, corals, shells, portraits, and ivory items.

However, after the death of the Archduke, the collections were dispersed to museums in Vienna. And the castle itself either underwent restoration or was completely abandoned. And only in 1919 this building became state-owned.

What to see at Ambras Castle

Carved interiors. Photo of Ambras Castle inside.

Now in the castle several rooms are open to the public, for example, the Spanish Hall, Apartments, Courtyard, Kunstkamera. You can also see excellent portraits of the Habsburg dynasty here. And in the Lower Castle it is worth visiting the weapons museum.

Note! In the Spanish Hall the ceiling, frescoes and mosaic doors look very impressive.

By the way, visitors are attracted not only by the premises, but also by various events. For example, various events are often held in the Spanish Hall, for example, Ambras Palace concerts, Innsbruck Early Music Festivals. And in a luxurious English park, unforgettable celebrations of the Renaissance are held.

Undoubtedly, Ambras Castle deserves close attention. rest in

I somehow always underestimated Innsbruck, preferring Salzburg and for a long time did not find the opportunity to get there.
Finally, in the fall of 2015, it was his turn. I’ll say right away that Innsbruck is the best thing I’ve seen in Austria. A city of rare combination of simplicity and beauty, grandeur and tranquility, purity and transparency. The harsh mountains and blue sky, the wonderful colors of golden autumn, leave an indelible impression; you want to come here again and again.

Anyone who has not been to Ambras Castle has not been to Innsbruck.
The castle is located 5 km southeast of the old town center.

In front of the castle

The easiest way to get to the castle is by red bus, it runs around the city as a tourist route, you can listen to the history of the city through headphones, but there is no Russian language, it runs strictly on a schedule, the castle is the final stop. Stop in Innsbruck near the Hofburg Palace.

You can get there by tram number 6 (Schloss Ambras stop) and number 3 (terminal Amraserstrasse).

Ambras Country Castle, the archduke's residence in Innsbruck, was in old times an expression of Tyrolean grandeur and power.

The history of Ambras Castle is inextricably linked with the name of Archduke Ferdinand II.
In the 16th century, the usual medieval fortification was rebuilt by the Italians into a castle.

The modern building was built precisely by order of Ferdinand II.
Ambras is now considered one of the few surviving examples of European medieval palace architecture that has survived to this day.

The castle has many interesting objects and collections.

The famous Spanish Hall (1569-1572) with its magnificent carved ceiling and portraits of the 27 rulers of Tyrol.

Carved ceiling in the Spanish Hall

Today, the castle regularly hosts classical music concerts.

The castle houses, among other things, a magnificent collection of medieval armor Rustkammer, in the center of the collection is armor that belonged to the giant Bartolomeo Bon, whose approximate height was 260 cm.
Lots of small children's armor.

You can climb up to the castle towers and admire the panoramic view from there.

Nearby is the Ryundgemalde panoramic platform with stunning views of the city.

The castle is depicted on one of the most famous collectible coins - the Ambras Castle Silver Coin with a face value of 10 euros.

The castle is surrounded by a magnificent, very well-kept park, with a large artificial lake, with ducks, geese and peacocks running along the shore.

The castle is pure splendor against the backdrop of the beauties of the Alps, a wonderful place for family, active and intellectual recreation for people of any age.