Imperial Church
Universitä tstraß e, Innsbruck
Description:
The Imperial Church is a unique church, a tomb erected by the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand I in memory of his godfather - grandfather Emperor Maximilian. It is one of the most important monuments of Austrian medieval art.
The construction of the church was carried out for many years, the main work occurred in 1553-1563. Emperor Ferdinand planned to build a majestic pantheon that would house his grandfather’s tomb. However, later the plan was revised and the church was decorated with a majestic cenotaph – a symbolic grave, as Maximilian bequeathed to bury himself in his hometown near Vienna. A huge sarcophagus decorated with majestic bas-reliefs depicting events from the life of the Holy Roman Emperor is installed in the center of the church. To approach it, it is necessary to pass the long church hall, which is guarded by bronze statues of the emperor's ancestors - German dukes, kings, whose sculptures exceed two meters in height.
The church was built by Max de Balla and Nicolos Thuring the Younger on the sketches of the famous architect from Trento Andrea Kriveli. The church was repeatedly rebuilt, which eventually led to the organization of an amazing eclectic ensemble, which combined architectural elements of Gothic and Renaissance.