Innsbruck is the third most important city in Austria but is the main urban center in the Austrian Alps.
The old town is crossed by Maria-Theresien-Strasse, one of the oldest streets in the city. It dates back over 700 years and was surrounded by fortified walls.
The heart of Innsbruck is the square overlooked by the most important and well-known city building, the Neuer Hof which on its façade houses the famous Golden Roof which with its 2,600 golden tiles is the symbol of Innsbruck. This particular construction was built on the orders of Emperor Maximilian I to eliminate rumors that the city was in economic difficulty.
In the central square is the Helblinghaus, a medieval building with a Rococo façade. In the old town there is also the city tower that is part of the Town Hall.
Near the Hofkirche is the Imperial Palace (Hofburg), built in baroque style, once the seat of the Counts of Tyrol and now used for cultural events and festivals.
The gardens of the Imperial Palace are the Hofgarten, the green lung of Innsbruck. The gardens existed since the early fifteenth century but were reserved only for the Royal Family. Today the Hofgarten is the main park in the city.
