The Tyrolean Prince Archduke Ferdinand II (1529-1595), son of Emperor Ferdinand I, had the medieval Ambras Castle converted into a Renaissance palace as a gift for his wife Philippine Welser. The humanist-educated Habsburg representative housed his world-famous collections in a specially erected museum building. This makes Ambras Innsbruck Castle the first museum in the world.
Archduke Ferdinand II had the medieval Ambras Castle, the popular sight in Innsbruck, converted into a Renaissance-style residential palace. He gave the castle to his wife Philippine Welser showing great generosity. Even before the start of construction, he had signed over the castle and associated power to her.
In his armoury, the prince collected armour as well as weapons and portraits of famous personalities. In addition to hero's armoury, body armoury, Turkish armoury, and the baroque armoury, the collected tournament weapons are the centre of attention.
The Ambras collection of Archduke Ferdinand II was one of the most valuable of its kind in the 16th century already. It is still in its place of origin to this day, as the only Renaissance chamber of art. Visitors will find artistic and handicraft exhibits as well as scientific instruments, rare exotic natural objects, and extraordinary portraits of outstanding scope and quality.
Ferdinand was one of the most important collectors in history. The armoury shows masterpieces of European plating. The Kunst- und Wunderkammer is the only Renaissance chamber of art preserved in its origi-nal location and is thus an incomparable cultural monument.
The Spanish Hall is one of the most beautiful Renaissance halls. Frescoes in grisaille painting adorn the inner courtyard of the Upper Castle. The Bathing Chambers of Philippine Welser are a cultural historical rarity. The Castle Chapel is dedicated to St. Nicholas. In the Strasser glass collection you can see precious Renais-sance and Baroque glasses. During summer months, the three floors of the Habsburg Portrait Gallery are accessible as well. The paintings there are by famous painters such as Hans Burgkmair, Lukas Cranach the Elder, Giuseppe Arcimboldo, Peter Paul Rubens, Diego Velázquez, and others.
