Innsbruck is the capital of Tirol since 1363. It sits at an important junction north to south and East to West. The road south leads to the Europabrucke. It stands nearly 200 meters above the valley floor and is considered among the most daring projects of this century. Innsbruck has hosted the Winter Olympics twice and it's possible to see the Olympic Stadium and the Olympic Ski Jump.
The campground, located in Kranebitten, was an easy bus ride into the old town center. Once in town, the first place to see is The Goldenes Dachl, which has over 2500 copper tiles dating from the 16th Century. Behind that, is the Cathedral with the elaborate baroque interior. The Hofkirche is opposite the palace and contains the sarcophagus of Maximilian I. Also, there are 28 giant bronze figures of the Habsburgs lining the church. They have been polished by the many hands rubbing them. Kaiser Rudolph has some very shiny parts, indeed. Also around that area is the Hofgarten, the Hofburg, and the Dom St. Jakob.
Outside of the old town, the Österreichischer Alpenverein (Austrian Alpine Club) Museum has a good exhibit of paintings and models of the mountains and glaciers in the area. Erika enjoyed seeing the different images of the Alps. There is also an exhibit on cartography, especially related to the mapping of the area mountains.
Also, a highlight of our time in Innsbruck was a visit to the Alpenzoo (Alpine Zoo). There are many animals on exhibit, mostly alpine species. The zoo's playground has a make-believe "bear den" where a child can pretend to be a bear and them climb up a tree to get out of the den. Erika had lots of fun pretending to be Pooh Bear - her favorite stuffed bear. There are also some great shops for clothes and pastry. This is a town that was meant to be explored, especially the Innenstadt, and we had a great time just wandering.
