Café 3440 at Pitztal Glacier, © Tirol Werbung/Verena Kathrein
Café 3440 at Pitztal Glacier, © Tirol Werbung/Verena Kathrein

Architecture & Art of Building in Tirol


From medieval castles and fortresses to state-of-the-art gondola stations, Tirol's architecture is a harmony of contrasts. Explore the region's incredible buildings - in towns and cities, on the valley floor and high on the mountains.

Visitors to Tirol will be familiar with the sight of medieval castle towers poking out from in between craggy mountain peaks. Yet this region in the Heart of the Alps is also home to many examples of futuristic architecture such as the concert hall in Erl and the funicular train stations of the Hungerburgbahn in Innsbruck. Indeed, guests could be forgiven for wondering if they had fallen asleep and woken up on a different planet! The architecture of Tirol is a wonderful harmony of contrasts. Buildings such as the Imperial Palace in Innsbruck remind visitors of the pomp and ceremony of centuries gone by, while the many churches and monasteries are home to numerous works of art and represent the spiritual dimension of architecture in the region. And then there are those modernist creations, including futuristic cable car stations high up on the mountain reminiscent of the sleek and streamlined spaceships featuring in Star Trek.

Visitors to Tirol will be familiar with the sight of medieval castle towers poking out from in between craggy mountain peaks. Yet this region in the…

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