The birth of the city center, with the old town at its heart, dates back to 1180 and the famous exchange agreement between Count Berchtold von Andechs and the Wilten canons, which allowed for an expansion of the market town of Anbruggen (today the district of St. Nicholas - Mariahilf) located north of the Inn River. Since the transfer of the sovereign residence from Merano to Innsbruck in 1420, the square in front of the Neuhof with its oriel extension and Golden Roof built under Emperor Maximilian I has been the main square of the city. The many sights, stores, cafés and inns attract locals as well as guests from all over the world.
Even though residents of the city often think they already know everything, attentive walks will always reveal new and hidden things, such as the so-called Quaternion Eagle in the vault of the house at Herzog-Friedrich-Strasse 35. This was the former home of the city judge Walter Zeller, who received a special award from Emperor Maximilian I in 1495 and had this picturesque decoration added in gratitude.