A Visit to Innsbruck's Hofkirche

Innsbruck's Hofkirche

The courtyard on a lovely day!

Some people are happy enough having one tomb. Not Kaiser Max! No, he needs one for everyday use, and one for Sunday best! 

I jest. The plan was for his ornate tomb to be housed in the St.-Georg-Kapelle in Wiener Neustadt. He supervised the design himself. But it eventually became clear that the chapel just wasn't suitable for a monument of that scope. 

So, after his death, his grandson Ferdinand saw to it that Maximilian's plans were realized. He had a new church built in Innsbruck just for that purpose: the Hofkirche. 

Have you ever been in a cathedral looking for a plaque or memorial of some kind, have no idea where to look, and are worried that you'll miss it?

There is NO chance you'll miss Max's cenotaph. It's right in the center of the nave, for one thing. Oh, and it's surrounded by 28 larger-than-life bronze statues. 

Some of which are quite fierce indeed:

I was sure I'd have nightmares
about this guy.

I've been reading about these people for so long, it was like being at a party (ok, a very quiet party) with a bunch of acquaintances.

Oh look, it's Mary of Burgundy!

And Philip the Good! 

Maximilian himself is depicted kneeling on top of the marble tomb.

The tomb is decorated with astonishingly detailed marble reliefs that show scenes from some of Max's greatest triumphs:

The Hofkirche also boasts a superb Renaissance organ, completed in 1560 by Jörg Ebert:

(I was hoping to HEAR it, but I didn't even get to SEE it!)

All in all, Maximilian's eternal honor guard was an astounding sight, the kind to give you chills (in a good way!) 

Leb, waiß nit wie lang 

und stürb, waiß nit wann 

mueß faren, waiß nit wohin 

mich wundert, das ich so frelich bin.

Leibspruch, or favorite saying of Kaiser Max, written in calligraphy on a wall at Schloss Tratzberg. Loosely translated:

I will live, I don't know how long

I must die, I don't know when

I must go, I know not where

I wonder why I'm so happy.