City Tower (Innsbruck)
The town hall tower, known as the town tower , stands in the middle of the historic center of Innsbruck , at Herzog-Friedrich-Straße 21.
Building description
The city tower is a somewhat protruding Gothic building enclosed in the row of houses. Through the historic town hall you can reach the viewing platform at a height of 31 meters ; the total height of the tower is 51 meters.
The massive, square substructure consists of six floors and is divided into three zones, clearly delimited by coffin cornices. Above is a platform with iron railing, which can be reached by climbing the 148 steps through the tower. A narrower, octagonal structure with four semicircular bay windows and a large onion helmet with a lantern rises above the platform . The entire tower, as well as cornices and consoles, are made of Höttinger Breccie ( Nagelfluh ), the octagonal top is plastered.
Grille on the 2nd floor
Memorial plaque for the old town hall and city tower
Spire
Clock
history
The tower was added to the old town hall between 1442 and 1450 and, along with the Golden Roof and the Anna Column, is a landmark of Innsbruck. The construction of the city tower shows the increased self-confidence of the citizens and their determination to defend their rights and freedoms against everyone. Tower guards were on duty at the tower both day and night . The first documented tower watchman was appointed to the day watch in 1529 by decision of the city council. His tasks consisted of calling out the hours and warning the townspeople in good time of fire or other dangers. The last tower keeper did her duty until 1967. The tower room under the tower house has been used for literary gatherings of the Tower Association since 1951 .
In the Middle Ages, the lower area of the city tower served as a city prison . The barred windows on the first two floors are still a reminder today.
The originally Gothic top of the tower was rebuilt in 1560 by the city architect Caspar Schäbl into the Renaissance onion helmet that still exists today . To decorate the city tower, four wrought-iron gargoyles in the shape of dolphins were attached to the tower in 1586.
The tower received its first clock in 1603, built by Erasmus Melchior.
Web links
Coordinates: 47 ° 16 ′ 5.5 ″ N , 11 ° 23 ′ 36.4 ″ E