Welcome Innsbruck - Winter 2019

W E L C O M E 58 K U L T U R M aria-Theresien-Straße experienced many changes and different titles, such as “Neustadt” and “Vorstadt” and fi- nally its present name. Houses, churches and palaces were built, filled with life, destroyed by catastrophes, de- molished and rebuilt. Their appearance has constantly changed, as have their inhabitants. At all times, however, it was and is an important urban street, even if its contemporaries did not always recognise its beauty. In 1877 Josef Erler expressed himself in this way: “The Ma- ria-Theresienstraße, formerly also called Vorstadt or Neustadt, with its mostly narrow and old houses all with an oriel, is not the most beauti- ful, but is still the busiest street in Innsbruck. This is where the largest shops have concentrated, where the stranger can find everything he needs.” In the Middle Ages, the Neustadt was an offshoot from the main trading route. Thus, it was mainly craft and restaurant businesses that took advantage of the passing trade. Almost all the houses were made of wood, so the great blaze of 1620 found plenty of fuel. After this event stone construction became law. In the course of the 16th cen- tury, the crafts began to gradually disappear, the simple middle-class houses were expanded, and noble palaces were built. The former street of craftsmen became the residential area of the aristocracy and the wealthy. This development was also due to the fire: As a result, many aristocrats bought up the ruins and built spacious houses. The line of houses that the street is still known for today developed from the loosely ordered buildings. In the second half of the 19th century the use of the road began to change again. More and more middle-class houses were built, crafts- men moved in again, and above all trading companies. In 1873 the Neustadt got its new name: now the Maria-Theresien-Straße devel- oped into a shopping street. At the beginning of the 20th century numerous new buildings were added and the last Gothic or Renaissance townhouses disappeared. That is why there are no longer any medieval townhouses. During this time, traffic innovations and changes also occurred, and the streets were filled with cars, buses, trams and bicycles. It was not until the end of the 20th century that the street became the partially pedestrian zone we stroll through today. The book by Gertraud Zeindl traces this story in detail and with many impressive pictures and photographs. A wonderful read. W Bombenschaden bei der Spitalskirche, um 1945 // Bomb damage next to the Spitalskirche, around 1945 Maria-Theresien-Straße Ecke Marktgraben, um 1911 // Maria- Theresien-Straße at the corner with Marktgraben, around 1911