The Hofkirche, Innsbruck

Maximilian was King of the Romans, also known as King of the Germans, and Holy Roman Emperor. He was never crowned by the Pope as the journey to Rome was always considered too risky 
 

 Emperor Maximilian l by Albrecht Dürer, 1519

Maximilian holds his personal emblem, the pomegranate - a symbol of fertility, bounty and eternal life

The Hofkirche (Court Church) in Innsbruck was built to be a mausoleum for Emperor Maximilian l by his son Ferdinand l. However, it appears that when Maximilian was on his death bed he had a change of heart and said that he wished to be buried in St. George's Chapel at Castle Wiener Neustadt. 

Guarded entrance from the Cloisters to what is now Emperor Maximilian's cenotaph

Flanking the tomb are 28 much larger than life bronze statues either representing the Emperor's ancestors or his heroes from antiquity.

The emperor kneels on top of the empty tomb accompanied by virtues - Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, and Temperance

All of the statues are very impressive having been designed or cast by distinquished artists and sculptors from the C16th.

With such a large collection of historical characters is it possible to highlight just one figure?

For me the choice is easy - but who?

My choice is our very own dear English legendary King Arthur whose magical exploits seemingly impressed Emperor Maximilian l. It is interesting to reflect that in the c15th/16th Arthur was considered to have been a real King and not the mythological figure that we now know he was.
King Arthur's elegant statue was designed by none other than Albrecht Dürer - painter, printmaker and theorist of the German Renaissance. Born in Nuremberg, Dürer established his reputation and influence across Europe when he was still in his early twenties.

I seem to have known and loved Dürer's exquisite painting of a hare forever, and been amused by his woodcut of a rhinoceros. Dürer had never seen a rhinoceros, his woodcut was based purely on a written description and a brief sketch by an unknown artist.

Whilst Dürer designed the statue of King Arthur it was cast by Peter Vischer the Elder, a German sculptor, and the most noted member of the reknown Vischer Family of sculptors from Nuremberg.

Innsbruck

The River Inn flows through Austria's Tyrolean capital, a tributary of the Danube. Lying midway between Munich in Germany and Verona in Italy, it is surrounded by a dramatic backdrop from the jagged rocky spires of the Nordkette mountain range.

To head for the mountains without spending time in Innsbruck would be to miss out on seeing it's dreamy late medieval Altstadt fairy tale architecture.

The two bell towers and dome of Dom zu St. Jakob (St. James) Innsbruck's C18th Baroque Cathedral

The Golden Eagle is one of Innsbruck's oldest and most important inns. Since it opened in 1390 it has served distinguished personalities from politics, art and culture, such as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Niccolò Paganini, Albert Camus and Jean-Paul Sartre. The Late Gothic frescoes on the facade were rediscovered and restored 60 years ago.

In Innsbruck it pays to caste your eyes skywards

Innsbruck's reknown 'Golden Roof' - this splendid Late Gothic oriel window covered with 2,657 fire-gilded copper tiles was commissioned by Emperor Maximilian l (1459 - 1519) to commemorate his wedding to Bianca Maria Sforza of Milan. 

The imposing Baroque marble structure of the high altar in Dom zu St. Jakob contains the cathedral's most precious treasure

  the painting Maria Hilf (Mary of Succor) by Lucas Cranach the Elder c1530

The tomb of Archduke Maximilian lll and Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights - The German speaking Order of Teutonic Knights was formed in the c12th to aid Christians on their pilgrimages to the Holy Land and to establish hospitals. They were a similar order to the Knights Hospitallers which I wrote about here. The tomb canopy consists of four bronze columns adorned with vine leaves, birds and insects. Dressed in armour the bare headed Archduke kneels on a cushion with his hands folded in prayer. St. George stands behind him, his hand resting on the archduke's shoulder as behind them both a slain dragon slithers away

The gilded and silver plated Baroque pulpit is adorned with three divine virtues supporting the base, symbols of the four Evangelists, and a host of angels and cherubs surmount the pulpit itself - made in 1725 by the Innsbruck sculptor Nikolaus Moll it is considered a Baroque masterpiece


In a future post the most historial monument in the Tyrol - a favourite place of mine to visit in Innsbruck