Ambras Castle Innsbruck

Schloss Ambras sits prominently above Innsbruck, Tyrol, and is one of the most important landmarks of the regional capital. Its cultural and historical significance is inextricably linked to Archduke Ferdinand II (1529–1595), a true Renaissance prince who championed the arts and sciences.

He established the Ambras Collections, which were already world-famous during his lifetime, and commissioned a specially designed museum complex—a kind of prototype for modern museums.

The exhibition in the Lower Castle reconstructs the Archduke’s museum: the Cabinet of Art and Wonders, the Armouries, and the Antiquarium. The Upper Castle houses the extraordinary Habsburg Portrait Gallery, featuring over 200 portraits, including works by artists such as Lucas Cranach, Titian, van Dyck, and Velázquez.

The ground floor of the Upper Castle hosts the Collection of Gothic Sculptures, while the first floor features the new permanent exhibition “The Post Has Arrived! Postmaster Portraits of the Taxis-Bordogna Family.”