Innsbruck

From Free net encyclopedia

Coat of Arms	Map
Image:InnsbruckWappen.png	Image:Karte-tirol-I.png
General information
Federal State:	Tyrol
Area:	104.91 km²
Population:	≈140,000 (2005) ≈250,000 (including suburbs)
Population density:	1,269/km²
Elevation:	570 m
Postal code:	A-6010, A-6020, ..., A-6060
Area code:	+43 512
Location:	Template:Coor dm
Website:	http://www.innsbruck.at
e-mail:	mailto:kontakt@magibk.at

Innsbruck is a city in western Austria, and the capital of the federal state of Tyrol. It is located in the Inn valley at the junction with the Wipptal (Sill River) which provides access to the Brennerpass, just about 30 km south of Innsbruck. Located in the broad valley between tall mountains, the Nordkette (Hafelekar, 2334m) in the north, Patscherkofel (2246m) and Serles (2403m) in the south it is an internationally renowned winter sports centre.

1 Sports
2 History
3 Transport
4 Miscellaneous
5 Sights
6 See also
7 External links

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Sports

Image:Innsbruck and gold roof.jpg Image:Innsbruck-nordkette.01.vm.jpg Due to its location in between high mountains, Innsbruck serves as an ideal place for skiing in winter, and mountaineering in summer. There are several ski resorts around Innsbruck with the Nordkette served by a cable car and additional chair lifts higher on being the closest to the city itself. Other ski resorts nearby include Axamer Lizum, Igls, Seefeld, Tulfes and Stubai Valley. The latter makes skiing possible even in the summer due to the glaciated terrain there.

The Olympic Winter Games were held in Innsbruck twice, first in 1964, then in 1976 when the city replaced Denver, Colorado as the venue after Colorado voters rejected a bond referendum to finance the games. Along with St. Moritz, Switzerland and Lake Placid, New York in the United States, it is one of the three places to have twice hosted the Winter Games.

It also hosted the 1984 and 1988 Winter Paralympics.

Together with the city of Seefeld, Innsbruck organized the Winter Universiade in 2005.

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History

The first documented quotation of Innsbruck dates back to 1187 ("Insprucke"). It served as an important crossing point over the river Inn. The city's seal and coat of arms show a bird's-eye view of the Inn bridge, a design used since 1267. The route over the Brenner Pass was then a major transport and communications link between the north and the south, and the easiest route across the Alps. The revenues generated by serving as a transit station led to a flourishing development of the city. A large and famous district in Innsbruck - 'Wilten' - got its name from an old Roman settlement 'Veldidena'.

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Transport

Image:Innsbruck tram system.jpg

Innsbruck is located along the A12/A13 corridor, providing freeway access to Verona, Italy, and Munich, Germany. The A12 and A13 converge near Innsbruck, at which point the A13 terminates.

Innsbruck's main station is one of the most frequented railway stations in Austria.

Innsbruck Airport provides service to Frankfurt, London, and Vienna, among others.

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