Innsbruck’s Schloss Ambras

To honor and raise the status of his wife, Philippine Welser, a woman of lower social rank, Archduke Ferdinand II (1529-95) converted the medieval castle Ambras into a lovely Renaissance palatial fortress. Overlooking Innsbruck, Schloss Ambras is truly one of Austria’s treasures. The archduke displayed his collection of curiosities and wonders in the schloss, creating one of the oldest modern museums. We found it to be one of the most interesting museums we’ve seen and we came away very impressed with the capabilities of people to create such amazingly intricate, beautiful, objects, often functioning as precision moving machines, so long ago.

Here's a glimpse into the castle's ornate Spanish Hall:

We also were enchanted by the castle grounds freshly dusted with an early morning snowfall.