Description of the attraction
The Arc de Triomphe is one of the symbols of Innsbruck. It ends the main street of Maria Theresa, and at one time served as a kind of southern city gate.
The Arc de Triomphe was built in 1765 and was timed to coincide with the solemn wedding of the son of Empress Maria Theresa, Archduke Leopold. However, during a long celebration, the groom's father, Emperor Franz Stephen, suddenly died, and therefore both events - both joyful and sad - were reflected in the external appearance of the building. The southern part of the arch depicts a happy couple - Leopold and his newlywed, Spanish princess Maria Luisa. And the northern part serves as a memorial in memory of the late Emperor Franz Stephen.
The arch itself is made of stone, not wood like the previous city gates. It is adorned with exquisite stucco work by Johann Baptist Hagenauer, a renowned craftsman from Salzburg. However, in 1774, these bas-reliefs were reworked in marble under the direction of another famous Baroque sculptor, Balthasar Ferdinand Moll. By the way, it was he who made a magnificent headstone for Franz Stefan and, subsequently, for his wife, the Great Empress Maria Theresa.
The marble bas-reliefs depict the state symbols of the Holy Roman Empire - the coats of arms of Austria, Bohemia, Hungary, the Habsburgs themselves, as well as the Order of the Golden Fleece, one of the most honorable in Europe. Even in the form of bas-reliefs, portraits of many representatives of the Habsburg dynasty were made, including the aforementioned newlywed couple - Leopold and Maria Louise of Spain, and, of course, the reigning Empress Maria Theresa with her late husband Franz Stefan.
Now the triumphal arch of the city of Innsbruck is under state protection. It is especially popular among tourists due to its location - it seems as if the snow-white peaks of the Alps are growing out of it.
