The incredibly beautiful Ambras Palace is well known in every town in Austria. This historic landmark is not to be missed if you are near Innsbruck. Ambras Castle is beautiful, cobbled, majestic and extremely charismatic. Its carved ceilings, mosaic doors and period frescoes will impress even the most seasoned traveller. Ambras is surrounded by manicured green parks where you can relax after a long walk through the castle halls.
For those interested in history, here are some interesting facts. Ambras was rebuilt on the orders of Emperor Ferdinand II, who made the ancient fortress his de facto residence. The Emperor was not only a lover of art and a scholar of science, but also a man of courage. Not every nobleman of his time would have dared to marry a woman from a non-aristocratic background in secret. Nevertheless, Ferdinand II became engaged to the beautiful Filipina Welser and lived with her in a Renaissance palace in Innsbruck, as she was forbidden to come to the royal court.
It should be mentioned that Ambras Castle is different from most Austrian castles. For all its virtuosity and grandeur, it is more of a defensive fortress.
It consists of an upper and a lower castle. Today the Lower Castle houses two exhibitions: the Armoury and a cabinet of curiosities, the Chamber of Art and Curiosities. The Armoury is a particular favourite of boys of all ages — the mass of knightly weapons and medieval armour is exciting and intriguing. The Armoury's collection was once one of the richest in Europe. Today, many of its exhibits are distributed among the many museums of Vienna.
Children also love to visit the Art Chamber. There are original musical instruments, unusual statues and coral figurines, ancient scientific instruments, portraits of strange and frightening creatures and other curiosities. The Spanish Hall, also in the Lower Castle, was built in the 16th century. It is still considered one of the most beautiful Renaissance halls of its time.
The Upper Castle is of interest to visitors of all ages. Today it houses the portrait gallery of the Habsburg family. Enter and be amazed by the wealth on display: the gallery contains around two hundred paintings by famous international artists such as Velázquez, Van Dyck, Titian and others.
Two parts of the castle are connected by the Spanish Hall, which is considered the real gem of the building. Its coffered ceiling, mosaic doors and frescoed walls invite visitors to linger. Today it is used for concerts and other cultural events.
Interesting fact. The castle was so popular and famous that a 10 euro silver coin was issued in 2002. One side of the coin shows a general view of the castle and the other shows musicians in the Spanish Hall.
After a long walk across Ambras' ancient parquet floors and enjoying the rich collections, stop off at a local souvenir shop before heading out. Here you'll find souvenirs for all ages. The selection is truly vast: children's toys and books, CDs, textiles, replicas of medieval tools, weapons and helmets, jewellery based on historical models, stationery, postcards and posters, sweets and, of course, magnets!
