Attraction BERGISEL SKI JUMP

The Bergisel Ski Jump in Innsbruck is an impressive landmark and a sporting highlight. It features fascinating architecture, breathtaking views of the city and the surrounding Alps, and offers exciting insights into the sport of ski jumping.

Description

With the inrun track designed as a bridge structure, the tower as a high-rise building, and the tower head as a steel structure, the ski jump at Bergisel in Innsbruck—renovated in 2001—ingeniously combines all disciplines of architecture. The Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid was responsible for this architectural masterpiece; she had already left her artistic mark on the Tomigaya Zaha Building in Tokyo, the Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art in Cincinnati, and the expansion of the Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid.

The architect also gained international recognition in 2004 when she was awarded the Pritzker Prize for her work—making her the first woman to receive this honor. At the Bergisel Stadium, Zaha Hadid elegantly combines a ski jump, a café, and a run-up track into a striking, landmark-like unit — a functional sculpture. And what other city can claim to possess such a versatile work of art?

The ski jump towers majestically above the Olympic city of Innsbruck on the historic Bergisel, a site that has always held great significance for Tyrol and, in particular, for Innsbruck: About 200 years ago, brave Tyroleans fought there under their leader Andreas Hofer for the freedom of their homeland. And as early as 1925, the first ski jump was built on this historic ground.

The venue has twice been honored with Olympic recognition: at the 1964 and 1976 Olympic Games , the Olympic flame was lit on the Bergisel. Spectacular major events have also taken place in the arena, where Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass for 60,000 faithful in 1988.

The Bergisel Arena is not only a gathering place for athletes and sports enthusiasts every winter—including during the international Four Hills Tournament— but also serves as a year-round training center with a mat jump: Ski jumpers take off from a special porcelain runway, and the landing area is equipped with a mat. The facility is an FIS competition venue and, at the same time, a year-round training center with a mat landing area: Ski jumpers take off from a special porcelain runway, and the landing area is lined with cushioned fiber mats.

Although the world’s most modern ski jumping facility, with over 28,000 spectator seats, is primarily dedicated to the “ski jumping experience,” this new Innsbruck landmark also offers many tourist attractions: Panorama enthusiasts, coffeehouse-goers, tech geeks, and architecture lovers alike will find something to enjoy there.

The entire complex, including the gondola, tower elevator, panoramic café, and observation deck on the ski jump tower, is open to the public daily from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (winter hours from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.). A visit to this tourist attraction is just one of the many benefits offered by the Innsbruck Card.


· Architect Zaha Hadid, 2001/2002
· A hybrid of a specialized sports facility and public space (panorama restaurant “Café im Turm” and observation deck)
· Tower with a base, “head,” and access ramp
· Combination of a tower and a bridge (91.60 m long; 48.35 m high)
· Numerous international awards
· Considered a modern landmark of Innsbruck

Accessibility Information: The area is largely accessible. The inclined elevator is wheelchair-accessible, and the panoramic restaurant as well as the observation deck in the tower are easily accessible by elevator. Accessible parking spaces are available.
Note: Between the parking lot and the stadium ticket office, stairs with cat’s-head cobblestones make it difficult to navigate by wheelchair. Access by car to the ticket office is possible, but parking is only permitted in the official parking lot.