Located in the historic centre of the city of Innsbruck, the Imperial Palace Innsbruck (together with the Imperial Palace and Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna) is one of the most important parts of Austria's architectural heritage. Built by the Habsburgs around 1460, the Imperial Palace was the residence of many rulers, and the traces of Maximilian I, Maria Theresa and Elisabeth ("Sisi") in particular are still omnipresent today.
Hundreds of exhibits in the museum provide insights into life at court. The ancestral gallery in the magnificent staircase shows portraits of the Habsburgs and brings to life the reign of this dynasty in Tyrol. The students were particularly impressed by the magnificent Riesensaal, which was the highlight of the tour.
The students were just as impressed by the "On Top of Innsbruck" tour to the Seegrube and the Hafelekar. They went up the mountain on the Innsbruck Nordkettenbahn, which runs in three sections from Innsbruck city centre via Hungerburg, Seegrube to Hafelekar.
At 2,334m above sea level, the Hafelekar is the highest point of the Nordkette with a fantastic 360° view of the city of Innsbruck and the Karwendel. The students were able to see an impressive panorama in imperial weather. The Karwendel Nature Park is the largest nature park in Austria and covers a protected area of 727 km².
