| The Hofkirche (Court Church) Innsbruck, Austria, is a Gothic church built 1553–1563 by Ferdinand I as a memorial to his grandfather Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor (1459–1519),[1] whose cenotaph within boasts a remarkable collection of German Renaissance sculpture. It also contains the tomb of Andreas Hofer, Tirol's national hero.[2]
Although Maximilian's will had directed that he be buried in the castle chapel in Wiener Neustadt, it proved impractical to construct there the large memorial whose plans he had supervised in detail, and Ferdinand I as executor planned construction of a new church and monastery in Innsbruck for a suitable memorial. In the end, however, Maximilian's simple tomb remained in Wiener Neustadt and the Hofkirche serves as a cenotaph.
The Court Church houses the tomb of Emperor Maximilian I. With 28 larger-then-life bronze statues it is the most important monument in Tyrol. Other points of interest: the Ebert Organ (1558), the Silver Chapel and Andreas Hofer’s final resting place. Concerts by the Wilten Abbey Boys’ Choir take place from June to September. |