Being grounded with all the travel restrictions since March last year (pretty much like everyone else), my better half and I decided it was high time to run the Covid gauntlet and risk a quick dash overseas. The choice fell on the open air of the Sexten Dolomites in the Italian South Tyrol - a world heritage site - and later a few days in the lovely city of Innsbruck.
The cool alpine air made such a refreshing change from the suffocating summer heat of home which even now persists and shows no sign of abating. A few days of hiking in wide open spaces like those of the Alps is a luxury which we do not even dream about on our miniscule island, so it was with particular gusto that we took to our walking boots and sticks. And once in Innsbruck there was the added pleasure of the Andreas Hofer gallery and the medieval exhibits in Ambras Castle, a veritable treat for military history buffs. Hofer was the innkeeper who organised Tyrolean resistance against the French in 1809-10 and is highly regarded as a folk hero in the Tyrol. He managed to engage and defeat on various occasions Bavarian troops but was ultimately betrayed by a fellow Austrian, captured and executed.
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| A room with a view. Our hotel high in the Sexten alpine meadows commanded breathtaking views | | | |
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| A cable car ride up to the Rotwand brings you to easy hikes with marvelous views |
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| The old city centre of Innsbruck as seen from across the river Inn | |
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The Andreas Hofer Tyrol military museum contains a nice array of hardware
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A marvellous rotunda painting celebrates Hofer's struggles against Lefebvre's Bavarians in 1809
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Late medieval jousting armour at Schloss Ambras
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A nice selection of 15th & 16th century armour at Ambras
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There's more to Innsbruck than just museums !
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Mike, the second to last photo gives a helpful dose of realism re pike lengths for the period.
ReplyDeleteHi Norm. Those pikes are no joke, they're about five metres in length! Had to take more than a few steps backwards to get them into my camera's field of view. I can't imagine how they handled them both in battle and on the march, plus the armour of course!
DeleteWonderful photos! You are lucky (and brave) to run the COVID gauntlet. My wife and I stayed in Innsbruck in 2018 and loved the city. Museums and scenery are terrific.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jonathan! Yes, Innsbruck is really wonderful but I have to admit that we preferred Salzburg which we visited a few years back. That said, the scenery from the mountains directly above Innsbruck is awesome.
DeleteSalzburg was my wife’s favorite stop during that 2018 trip.
DeleteLooks beautiful. So does the armour!
ReplyDeleteIndeed Ray!
DeleteGreat looking holiday Mike,
ReplyDeleteWould love to get a look at the armour!
Cheers
Matt
Thanks Matt! It was quite a welcome break after the long lockdowns.
DeleteThe armour exhibits are worth a visit if you're ever in those parts. Not too extensive but what there is is in very good shape.
Very nice pictures! I love the suits of armor. 😀
ReplyDeleteThanks Stew. Those suits seem to have caught the fancy of eveyone here!
DeleteFantastic images of a wonderful trip, Mike! Love the armor collection and tribute to Andreas Hofer.
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot Dean. Yes, the museums in Innsbruck are certainly worth a visit. The rotunda painting in the Kaiserjagermuseum at Bergisel commemorating one of Hofer’s victories there is quite spectacular. The action took place at or around the site of the museum itself and many of the landmarks in the painting still stand today.
DeleteLovely looking scenery and great armour!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
Agree on both counts! 😃
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