Innsbruck

This Austrian city, the capital city of the federal state of Tyrol, is located in the Inn Valley at the foot of the Alps, at the height of 547 metres above sea level. The first mentions of Innsbruck date back to 1187 and describe it as a stop near the Brenner Pass (the shortest path linking the north of Europe with Italy at that time). In the following centuries Innsbruck developed extremely dynamically, whereas its golden age was the 15th century, after which in 1429 the Emperor Maximilian I Habsburg had moved his residence to Innsbruck. It is at that time that the fantastic Hofburg and Ambras castles, as well as many other historic buildings were erected. Innsbruck, which preserved its medieval urban layout, is today a true tourist attraction. However, what Innsbruck prides itself most on is winter sports. Innsbruck organized Olympic Winter Games twice (in 1964 and 1976), Nordic World Ski Championships (1933) and co-hosted Euro 2008. The third competition of the annual Four Hills Tournament takes place at Innsbruck's Bergiselschanze.