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Goldenes Dachl

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superpurd
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4 out of 5
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Editor Pick

A Golden Roof

  • September 12, 2009
  • Rated 4 of 5 by tartlette from Bath, United Kingdom
All the books and guides say that the Goldenes Dachl is a must when visiting Innsbruck. And while I agree to some extent, you have to remember not to get too disappointed by the fact that for an attraction it is very small.

HISTORY:
The house where the roof is situated was built in around 1420 by Archduke Fredrick IV. By the end of the 15th century the house was in the hands of the Emperor Maximilian I. In 1500 he ordered that the balcony, complete with golden roof, be constructed in honour of his second marriage to Bianca Maria Sforza of Milan. It was built by the court architect Niclas Turing From the balcony he could look out over the square below and watch dancing and tournaments. The 'gold' roof is actually 2657 copper tiles which have been guilded.

ACCESS:
The Goldenes Dachel is a fairly easy landmark to find, just look for the crowds all looking up rather than looking where they are going! It is on the same square as the city tower, so this is a good landmark to look out for. It is right in the heart of the city, on a pedestrianised street. Everything to see in Innsbruck was pretty much within walking distance, but I did use the public transport to take me back to our campsite and it was very efficient and clean. It is located at: Herzog-Friedrich-Straße 15

In the summer the roof is open every day from 10-6 and in the winter it is closed Monday and open the rest of the week from 10-5. It costs 3.60 Euro for an adult and 1.80 Euro for concessions. It is also included on the Innsbruck card (28 Euro for 48 hours) which is well worth investing in and a bit of a bargain if you plan to see a couple of things.

THE VISIT:
You may now be wondering...'why do I have to pay to look at this thing?' Well obviously you don't, but you can go inside the building, which is where the cost comes in, and visit the small museum which is inside. The museum covers Maximilian I. There is an audioguide included in the price. Firstly you watch a short film about Maximilian and then you can look around at some artifacts from his life, including paintings. You can then go to the balcony, over which the golden roof lies. Unfortunately, but understandably, you cannot actually stand on the balcony, but you can look out over the square and you get a very good view of the decor on the balcony itself. The provide mirrors so that you can easily see the inside of the roof.

A few things to notice are the reliefs (on the outside), one shows Maximilian with his first and second wives (all about the politics in those days!) there are also various reliefs of the coats of arms of all of Maximilian's territories (far too many to mention!)

VERDICT:
The Goldenes Dachl and the museum which lies behind it are very interesting and the entrance fee is not bad considering you get an audioguide chucked in. However, unless you have an interest in or want to learn about Maximiliam I wouldn't necessarily reccommend going in. I loved it but I'm a historian (and therefore biased!). If you have the Innsbruck card anyway then definately go in. If you only had a day in Innsbruck I think that the time could be better spent, perhaps at the Imperial Church where Maximilian's incredible (empty) tomb lies or the Imperial Palace. Even if you don't go in to the museum, make sure that you see it, preferably on a sunny day so that thetiles glint and if you're lucky enough to have musicians playing under the roof like I was then stay and listen for a while. Also, the best view of the roof comes when you climb the city tower (also included in the Innsbruck Card) so climb that if you have a head for heights!
Enjoy!
Editor Pick

Goldenes Dachl

  • March 25, 2007
  • Rated 5 of 5 by becks from Mexico City, Mexico
Goldenes Dachl

"Bella gerant alii, tu, felix Austria nube
Nam quae Mars aliis, dat tibi regna Venus"

"Let others war, thou, happy Austria, wed;
What some owe Mars, from Venus take instead."

One of the best-known sights in Innsbruck is the Goldenes Dachl (Little Golden Roof) at the t-junction of Maria-Theresien-Straße and Herzog-Friedrich-Straße in the heart of the old town. It is, as the name clearly hints, a small golden roof on top of a spectator’s gallery.

According to legend, Tyrolean Duke Friedrich the Penniless had this roof covered with golden coins to put paid to rumors that he was bankrupt. Friedrich was indeed poor but the golden roof was only erected six decades after his death by Emperor Maximilian I, who ironically was once refused entry into Innsbruck because of his entourage’s debts.

In the building is a small museum, the Maximilianeum, which focuses on the life of Kaiser Maximilian I, who ruled from 1493 to 1519. He was one of the most interesting figures in the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation’s history and is often referred to as the Last Knight in Europe. Due to conservation concerns, visitors cannot actually enter the famous balcony itself but you can peak through the open door onto the balcony where a mirror reflects the painting of Maximilian and his two wives.

The famous quote above, often wrongly thought to refer to Maria Theresa’s 16 children who married nobility throughout Europe, actually refers to Maximilian I and his children. They all married well. Maximilian’s first wife, Maria of Burgundy, brought most of the Netherlands (including modern-day Belgium) and Burgundy under Habsburg control. His second wife, Maria Bianca Sforza of Milan, brought large parts of Italy under Habsburg rule. Marrying off his children and grandchildren, as well as the odd war or two, vastly expand Habsburg power. His grandson and successor, Charles V (1519-1556), ruled the Holy Roman Empire, Burgundy, the Netherlands, Hungary, Bohemia, Naples, Sicily, Sardinia, Spain, and much of America and other colonies. As Charles V put it himself, "in my realm the sun never sets."

The museum has further interesting facts on the life of Maximilian including his coronation. Several rulers, including the French king and Venetian doge, were against Maximilian’s election as German king and clearly hoped for a break from Habsburg rule. At his coronation, Maximilian wanted to make it clear he would defend his throne militarily if necessary. A few choice words might have been called for, but why risk the message getting lost in translation or misinterpret by diplomats. Leaving the orb in storage and carrying a cannon ball instead got the message through loud and clear: the Venetian doge extended his sincerest felicitations within days (but still refused Maximilian permission to travel through his territory for a formal coronation by the Pope; a 500-year tradition thus fell away conveniently with the last coronation prior to the Lutheran Reformation).

From journal Innsbruck - A Provincial Town with Heart

Editor Pick

Goldenes Dachl

  • December 9, 2005
  • Rated 4 of 5 by Wildcat Dianne from Milton, Florida
Goldenes Dachl

The Goldenes Dachl or House with the Golden Roof is located in Innbruck's Old Town Pedestrian Zone and is one of the most popular sights in downtown Innsbruck.

The Goldenes Dachl was built as a gift to the people of Innsbruck by Emperor Maximillian I in 1494, who insisted on having all of the 2,600 copper tiles covered in gold in his appreciation. The Goldenes Dachl, with its Gothic oriel window and famous roof, was designed by architect Niklas Turing, who added the first balustrade on the first level for Maximillian I to watch medieval tournaments and dancing whenever he was in town. The Dachl's exterior also includes the Coat of Arms of Austria and Hungary, along with the Austrian Eagle that represented the Habsburg Empire from Burgundy to Milan and other parts of Europe. One wall of the Goldenes Dachl is covered with a fresco of the Nativity that Maximillian I wanted to show Innsbruck's Catholic loyalty to Rome.

The Goldenes Dachl turned out to be an expensive extravagance and angered many residents of Austria because Maximillian I took out a loan to pay for all of the work done on the building. Today you can only see the Goldenes Dachl from the outside, and it is considered one of Innsbruck's tourist traps. I recommend taking 10 to 20 minutes to admire the architecture and beauty of the Goldenes Dachl and taking pictures.

From journal Olympic Games and Hapsburg Royalty

Editor Pick

Goldenes Dachl

  • September 10, 2000
  • Rated 2 of 5 by superpurd from Williams Lake, British Columbia
The name means golden roof which is what it is. Apparently Maximilian watched tournaments of knights from this place and had something fancy built so everyone would know it was his place. I was expecting something more impressive than what we saw, but I guess a gold roof is a gold roof.

From journal Two days in Innsbruck

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