The Hofkirche, or Court Church, was built in the 1550s to house the most ambitious tomb monument of the Renaissance north of the Alps. Emperor Maximilian I planned his own memorial in extraordinary detail, commissioning bronze statues of his ancestors, relatives and heroes, and although he was finally buried in Wiener Neustadt, the monument came to Innsbruck. The result is one of the most striking interiors in Austria: the emperor’s empty cenotaph in the centre of the nave, surrounded by 28 life-size bronze figures, eight of them women, that the people of Innsbruck nicknamed the Schwarze Mander, the Black Men. Some were cast after designs by Albrecht Dürer, and the figure of King Arthur is often singled out as one of the finest. Up a flight of stairs, the Silver Chapel holds the tombs of Archduke Ferdinand II and his wife Philippine Welser, with a silver altar and an organ with wooden pipes. The church also honours the Tyrolean freedom fighters of 1809, and companions of Andreas Hofer are buried here. This page links to the Tirol tourism page for the church.
How to visit: the Court Church stands on Universitätsstraße next to the Hofburg and shares its entrance and ticket office with the Tyrolean Folk Art Museum, which is well worth adding for its rural parlours and costumes. It opens Monday to Saturday from 9:00 to 17:00 and on Sundays and public holidays from 12:30 to 17:00, with last admission at 16:30. It is part of the Tiroler Landesmuseen group of museums.
What to expect: it is an active church, so visits pause for services. The bronze figures are close enough to study the detail of their armour and robes, and the Renaissance swallow’s nest organ by Jörg Ebert is one of the oldest playable organs in the region. Barrier-free access is arranged through the Folk Art Museum ticket office, and one companion of a blind or wheelchair-using visitor enters free.
Making the most of it: walk slowly round the cenotaph and pick out the famous names, then climb to the Silver Chapel before moving on to the Folk Art Museum. On a Sunday, come in the afternoon after the church opens to visitors. An hour is enough for the church alone.
What to expect
The experience
A walk round the emperor’s cenotaph and its ring of bronze figures, then up to the Silver Chapel, with the Folk Art Museum next door.
Best time
Weekday mornings; on Sundays the church opens to visitors only from 12:30.
How long
About an hour, or two with the Tyrolean Folk Art Museum.
Tips
Buy the combined ticket with the Folk Art Museum, and check for services before you go.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Lovers of art and history who want to see Innsbruck’s most remarkable interior.
- Families
- Older children enjoy spotting King Arthur and the armoured knights among the bronze figures.
- Couples
- Combine it with the Hofgarten across the street for a quiet, cultured afternoon.
- Pair with
- The Hofburg next door and the Golden Roof a few minutes away.
- Time needed
- One to two hours.
Good questions
Is Emperor Maximilian I buried in the Court Church?+
No, the cenotaph is empty, and Maximilian is buried in Wiener Neustadt. The monument was completed in Innsbruck after his death.
Who are the Black Men?+
They are 28 life-size bronze figures of Maximilian’s ancestors, relatives and heroes, eight of them women. The locals nicknamed them the Schwarze Mander because of their dark bronze.
What are the opening hours?+
Monday to Saturday from 9:00 to 17:00, and Sundays and holidays from 12:30 to 17:00. Last admission is at 16:30.
Is the Court Church combined with another museum?+
It shares its entrance and ticket office with the Tyrolean Folk Art Museum next door. A combined visit is easy and worthwhile.
What is in the Silver Chapel?+
The tombs of Archduke Ferdinand II and Philippine Welser, a silver altar and an organ with wooden pipes. It is reached by stairs from the church.
