The dreamlike entrance to the Swarovski Crystal Museum (Kristallwelten) located just outside of Innsbruck, Austria. The Swarovski world headquarters are located just outside of Innsbruck, and a related company - Swarco - is the Raiders main sponsor. (And yes, George, the Hand of God was used in this photo.)
Just like a year ago when I first got the call about playing in Catania, my first reaction to hearing the word Innsbruck was, "WHERE?!" Yet just like in Italy, the more I learned about it the more intriguing it became.
Innsbruck is known as the "CAPITAL OF THE ALPS." It has a population of 125,000 people and is located in western Austria. It is the capital city of the federal state of Tyrol, which is a word used to describe the mountainous region that surrounds the city. (Also a source of pride when talking to those pansies in Vienna...) When people think of Innsbruck their first impression is that of a WINTER SPORTS MECCA. Innsbruck hosted the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics, and sits in a valley between some of the best skiing in the entire Alps.
Axamer Lizum is one of the most famous ski resorts, and sits just above the village of Goetzens which will be our home. I'm not bragging, but it is possible to ski from this exact point to our front door.
No snow when I was there in October... but you can be sure there will be in February!
Matt and his brother Monte are excellent skiers, as is my wife Christie. In fact, living in Innsbruck will be a dream for her, as she is from Canada & grew up skiing in the Rocky Mountains! (No report yet on if Monte has booked his plane ticket and/or has planned moving to Austria for the duration of the season.)
Colorful buildings are an Innsbruck trademark.
Innsbruck got its name from a combination of two words: Inns (exactly what you think it means) and Bruck, from the German Brucke which means bridge. So Innsbruck is 'bridge over the inn' - a perfect description of the center of town. (I believe the original building was the Inn.) In fact, the Old Town lies adjacent to the Wipptal/Sill River and is filled with shops, restaurants, and historical sites. I found the food to be excellent, as its proximity to Italy (only 30 km to the south) means that all the pizza & pasta we loved there is available in Innsbruck. However, unlike Italy, there are also plenty of other options, including Thai, Sushi, Mexican, and of course, German food. The spoken language is German, but everyone speaks very good English, and the Tyroleans (much like the Sicilians) are quick to assert that they are Tyroleans first, Austrians second, and Germans... well, let's just try not to mention them!
...yes, a river runs through it. (No fly fishermen were seen.)
The city has a long history, dating back to the Stone Age. In the Middle Ages it grew as an important trading post, as the Brenner Pass just to the south of the city into Italy is the easiest crossing over the Alps - making Innsbruck a vital link between north and south. According to Wikipedia, the fastest source for semi-accurate information:
Innsbruck became the capital of all Tyrol in 1429 and in the fifteenth century the city became a centre of European politics and culture as emperor Maximilian I also resided in Innsbruck in the 1490s.
Maximilian really is the "go-to-guy" in Innsbruck. He built all sorts of palaces and monuments, essentially putting Innsbruck on the map. His most famous structure was the Golden Roof (pictured above) - made of you guessed it, GOLD!
Old and New Collide: The Golden Roof... behind the GOLDEN ARCHES!!!
The town took a slight beating during both the days of Napoleon and World War II, but still maintains its charm. The town is fascinating to walk through, and really should offer us a quite different "Alpine" experience than our Mediterranean journey in 2008.
A church where Maximilian is honored...
...and the distinctive buildings of "Old Town."
~ J. Twice
2 comments:
First of all, congratulations on the new adventure. I look forward to the future of Sneaking for Schnizel (or maybe Ballin' for Bratwurst?)
But an AS Roma fan like myself, or a dedicated Gunner like George, really want to know: Is there a soccer team in Innsbruck?
There is a team in Innsbruck - FC WACKER INNSBRUCK. Better name than "WACKER"? Perhaps only the Porvoo Butchers!
We actually share their stadium (one of 8 host sites in the 2008 Euro), but they have not been very good, only adding to the popularity of the Raiders American Football team.
I look forward to keeping in touch - Ballin' for Bratwurst does have a nice ring!!!
JJ
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