Bergisel Ski jump should be rightfully called Bergisel Sky Jump… after all daring ski jumpers and athletes who fly off the run in a daring arc seem to be flying off into the sky!! The most inspiring architectural highlight of Innsbruck towers over the entire cityscape and offers endless photography opportunities.
Two Olympic Winter Games have been held at the Bergisel and that alone has attracted millions of tourists from across the world. This is rightfully called the winter sports capital of Austria and now the Bergisel has been revamped with a smashing ski jump installation designed by none other than the late star designer Zaha Hadid. The fluidic yet solid main tower has been lauded many times for its design accomplishments.
You can climb the 455 steps that wind up to the top of the ski tower if you are feeling fit or you can go up in a few minutes via the funicular. Upstairs, there is a restaurant, viewing terrace and a ski jump-start ramp that offers a magnificent view of Innsbruck town. The panorama deck offers a 360-degree view of Innsbruck and many parts of the Tyrolean country and is definitely a highlight but there is a lot more to know about the Bergisel… it’s a curated mix of sports, history and architecture. If you are a lover of photography then the Bergisel ski jump will seem like heaven…it’s impossible to put the camera away.
History
The hill that holds the Bergisel ski jump is a very famous site… an attraction in its own right. For it was here that the Austrian freedom fighter Andreas Hofer assembled Tyrolean peasants and commons folk (18,000 in number) against the Bavarian and French forces (3rd battle of Bergisel 1809). You will find his body buried in the grounds of Hofkirche Court Church and Innsbruckers call him their favourite hero. The battle inspired the famous oil painting by Zeno Diemer (Tyrol’s biggest oil painting) that captures the Tirol battle vividly.
Coming back to the hill, the first ski jump was constructed here in the year 1925 and inaugurated in 1927. Note that the Ski Club Innsbruck was already in existence for the last 19 years by then and members used to compete in the Bergisel area as well as adjoining hills. In 1933 the ski world championships were held and new skiing records were established here.
In 1941 the inrun tower collapsed and there were 4 casualties after which the ski jumping facilities were completely banned. The Bergisel got a fresh lease of life after World War II when the ski jump was reconstructed and then inaugurated in 1949. In 1953 the Bergisel competition was included in the famous Austrian German skiing competition… the 4 Hills tournament. In 1964 and 1976 the Innsbruck Bergisel ski jump hosted the Olympic ski jumping competition and the Nordic World championships were held here in 1985.
Around 1998 it was judged that the ski jump no longer met global standards and in 1999 a global competition for the best design suggestions for a brand new ski jump was announced. Zaha Hadid Architects won the contract and the construction of the new ski jump took 3 years (1999 to 2002). The design resembling an alpine ski slope was much celebrated and the Bergisel gained even more popularity after the new ski jump was incorporated.
The modernistic inrun tower, an enlarged landing hill site, new lift and floodlights plus plastic covering were all a part of the redesigning scheme. Since then the Summer Grand Prix events, Youth Olympics Winter Game etc. were held at the Bergisel and every year in January the Four Hills competition is also hosted here.
Fire Bowls & Stadium
As you approach the entrance of the stadium, look right and you will see an array of digital photos and fire bowls. The photo gallery shows the entire history of his area since the inception of the Four Hills tournament and the history of the Olympic Games at Bergisel Lake. There is a brand new gallery as well as an old Springer Parlour featuring photo displays. The entire stadium and the entrance have information boards that display important data about the stadium, history, features, and important statistics of Bergisel. There is sort of a small museum area with many information boards and medals on display along with skiing record statistics. Also, note that there is a gift shop selling unusual souvenirs and Bergisel stamped merchandise… at the entrance.
Structure
Spend some time inspecting and admiring this single unique structure that contains a ski ramp, sports facilities, public spaces, viewing terrace and tower top café all in its beautiful design. The structure rises up to 50 meters in height and can be called part tower part bridge. The design mimics a giant ski slope… it’s almost as if a concrete version of the ski slopes below has risen up to meet the skies above.
There are two elevators that carry visitors to the café that’s almost 40 meters above the Peak of Bergisel Mountains. The elevators are near the diving platform and once you reach there, you can either take the lift to the observation deck (3rd floor) or the Bergisel Sky Restaurant (2nd floor). But before accessing the elevator… you will ascend the tower using a funicular and that’s always an interesting experience.
Watching Ski Jumpers
Watching the athletes leap down the top of the run before flying through the air in an avian arc is something that most people remember for their entire lives. The ski jumping world cup happens here but Bergisel is also used as a training centre for ski jumpers all throughout the year (though the practice sessions mostly happen between November to May). There is an arena at the bottom of the stadium that has 20,000 spectator seats. If you come here during January, you will be able to see big crowds cheering on participants heartily… the famous Four Hills competition is held in this month.
A good suggestion is to stay long enough so that you can watch jumpers take off from the three positions; top, end of the jump, and top of the slope at the finish. You can even stand on the top of the run and pretend that you are a jumper!!! Jumpers take off and then land into the bowl-shaped spectator area. Just beyond the landing area is a cemetery and most ski jumpers stare straight at it when they take off… an astounding feat of mental as well as physical courage. For most tourists, watching the ski jumpers is actually the highlight of visiting Bergisel.
Go up to the Viewing Platform
The panoramic viewing platform is one of the best features of the newly renovated Bergisel ski jump. This is a pretty wide platform. An elevator/ funicular takes tourists to the tower and then a separate passenger lift takes them to the observation deck on the third floor in 2 minutes. Alternatively, you can take the 455 steps up to the top. From here, a splendid view of Innsbruck and the vista of the Tyrolean Mountains is available. This is an all-weather platform that can be used even in bad weather conditions. The viewing platform is wheelchair accessible and encased in glass. There are toilets on both the 2nd and 3rd floors.
There is an angled trampoline that can accommodate only 30 skiers at once and it takes them 5 minutes to reach the diving board. The ride is designed to keep admiring the hair rising views though it’s also a bit steep. This trampoline can take skiers from the Bergisel tram depot to the tower.
Enjoy the restaurants
Café Sky
The elevator/ funicular will take you to Im Turm/ Bergisel Sky on the 2nd floor… the café is perched 40 meters above the Bergisel peak. Visitors have the unique chance of seeing the Bergisel mountain spread under them flanked by the beautiful alpine landscape as they sip on hot chocolate or enjoy world food. Ski jumpers below zip all across the skyline of Innsbruck… there isn’t a café in Austria that can afford a better view apart from the Alpenzoo café that’s also equally magnificent.
The coffee here is excellent and so are the desert selections… especially the Heisse Liebe (vanilla ice cream, warmed raspberries and whipped cream) and the Bergisel Strudel (cheese, nuts and blueberries). In fact, it’s well worth arriving at the café at an odd hour and having the entire place to yourself as you savour the view in peace.
You can also breakfast here (the signature Bergisel breakfast is well known) or have a 3-course lunch complete with steak, sandwiches, smoked trout and iced coffee/ Prosecco. Prices are understandably on the higher side and you should be comparing this with any of the city centre restaurants.
Sky café is open from 9am to 5pm every day.
Restaurant 1809
The 1809 Restaurant stands next to the Tyrol Panorama right under the Bergisel ski jumping Hill and it serves traditional Austrian/ Tyrolean food. You will get great views of Innsbruck and there is a large parking lot too. Try the traditional pasta dishes, Ox cheek with vegetables and onion sauce, Schlipfkrapfen and warm pumpkin soup and for dessert, you could have the Kaiserschmarrn with prune jam. Prices are again on the higher side and there might be language problems for non-German speakers.
Restaurant 1809 is open from 10am to 6pm every day except Tuesdays.
Take the circular Bergisel hiking route
The unique combination of nature and history make the Bergisel Hiking route a great option for a short walk. There are two options for starting the hike; either start from the back of the lot or from the ski jump (the first option is easier to navigate). You will find Panorama Runde signs marking the route. If you are interested in photography then it will be difficult for you to keep your camera away as there are excellent views of the ski jump plus interesting rock formations of limestone, marble and dolomite.
The best part of the trail is a viewing platform (called Sonnendeck) that overlooks the Sill Gorge. There are glass panels at the bottom of the view deck that afford views of the gorge, but this is difficult for people who are scared of heights. The braver souls can peer over the railing to the pit of the exceedingly deep gorge.
The route will take one hour to be completed but if you don’t have much time left over after visiting the Tirol Panorama and the ski jump, you can only walk to the viewing platform and then back.
Tirol Panorama & Imperial Infantry Museums
The Tirol Panorama Museum is known for the giant 360-degree painting covering a canvas area of 1,000 m² and portraying the Tyrolean fight for independence. The Imperial Infantry is part of the Tirol Panorama.
A major battle of the Tirol citizens (led by Andreas Hofer) against the French and Bavarian army took place on 13th August 1809. The artefacts, infographics and exhibits pertaining to the Tyrolean infantry and the battle are displayed in the small yet interesting museum of Tyrolean imperial infantry.
There is an entire section on the myths of Tyrol and a display of the weapons belong to the infantry. Free audio guides are available in multiple languages (Spanish, French, German, and Italian). Buts it’s inconvenient for non-german speakers to see all the written explanations in German inside the museum.
The museum is open every day (apart from Tuesday) from 9 a.m. to 5 pm. On Thursdays (in the months of July and August) the museum closes at 7 p.m. A single ticket for an adult costs 8 euros. It’s more prudent to buy the combi ticket for the museum and ski jump (14 euros)
Tours & Tickets
You can buy Bergisel entry tickets or book tours online through this Viator site.
A ticket for the Bergisel stadium only is 9 euros (if you get here before the year 2020 then it’s still 8.50 euros). The combined ticket for the Bergisel stadium and Tirol Panorama museum per adult is 14 euros and this is excellent value.
If you are especially interested in ski jumping then you can take the Stage Tour that exposes you to sports leadership with ski jumpers. There are anecdotes, shared stories and an introduction to the world of ski jumping by skiing professionals. This tour is done in groups of 30 people max and there is a guide accompanying the group.
From May to October, there is an Advanced Stage Tour that includes show jumps with ski jumpers. This tour exposes guests to technology, competition rules, skiing technicalities etc. There is a stop at the Bergisel Sky and this is a 90-minute group tour (20 people max) and it’s held only at 3 p.m. These tours need to be booked from the Bergisel official website or onsite at the stadium.
For history and architecture lovers there is the stadium tour that’s exclusively devoted to the history and architecture of the Bergisel. Get engrossed in historical tales about Bergisel battles and anecdotes about the sports meets, Olympic feats etc. This 50-minute tour is accompanied by a professional Historian guide and can be booked from this Viator site.
The entry and the funicular ride up to the viewing deck are free if you have the Innsbruck Card.
Timings
The Bergisel ski jump has smaller opening hours in winter but maximum skiing competitions are held around this time making this also a good time to visit.
Between November to May, the Bergisel ski jump is open from 10.00 am – 5.00 pm. On weekends and public holidays, the Bergisel opens from 9 a.m. The ski jump is closed on Tuesdays and between 19 – 30 November.
Opening hours in summers are longer and it’s the best time to visit as some of the world’s best ski jumper train at Bergisel ski jump. You are likely to catch a ski jumper taking off from the green mat (usually between 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.) in summers. You can take a video and show it to folks back home later. Make sure that you check the weather update before leaving for the Bergisel ski jump… a cloudy sky/ bad weather can spoil the experience entirely.
From June – October i.e. summers, the Bergisel ski jump is open from Monday to Sunday from 9.00 am – 6.00 pm
Note: parts of the stadium, ski jump, restaurants etc. remain closed on different days of the year. A complete list will be found on the hours of operation page on Bergisel official website.
Location & Contacts
The proximity of Bergisel Ski Jump to the Innsbruck Old Town is one of its major advantages. It’s only 3 km south of the old town so anyone who visits the old town can visit the Ski jump too and make a day out of it.
If you are taking your car then take the Innsbruck Sud off ramp on the A13 highway and then travel by B 182 for about 2.3 km and then turn right at the Bergisel sign. You will pass the Grassmayr bell factory and the Wilten monastery before reaching Bergisel road.
Parking is available at Kaiserjager Museum and the stadium is 5 minutes away from the parking lot. About 90 cars and 12 buses can be parked here… so it’s a big space. The parking rate is 0.5 euros per half an hour.
The Sightseer bus stops in front of Tirol Panorama and so do the Stubai valley tram and bus that takes off from the main station. The Bergisel tram stop is 15 minutes away but it’s beautiful though uphill walk to the ski jump. Or if you want to save time then it’s a better idea to get down at the local history museum.
Bergisel Betriebsgesellschaft mbH
Bergiselweg 3, A-6020 Innsbruck
Phone: +43 512 589259; Email:[email protected]; Website
Once you are done admiring the Bergisel and visiting the Tirol Panorama and museum, you can also make a short trip to the Grassmayr Bell Factory and Museum that’s about 400 years old. Or you could visit the gorgeous Rococo style Basilica Wilten.
If you haven’t filled your tummy at Café Sky or Restaurant 1809 then you could try the Gasthaus Bretterkeller at Viller Berg (German food) or the Olive (fancy European cuisine). Or you can simply gorge on pizza at Pizzeria Da Rocco (Michael Gaismair Strasse).
A travel addict. Still celebrating the day when he quit his high-profile corporate job to pursue his passion for travel writing.