Innsbruck

Innsbruck is a city in western Austria, and the capital of the Tyrol province. It is located in the Inn valley at the junction with the Wipptal (Sill River) which provides access to the Brennerpass, just about 30 km south of Innsbruck. Located in the broad valley between tall mountains, the Nordkette (Hafelekar, 2334m) in the north, Patscherkofel (2246m) and Saile (2403m) in the south it is an internationally renowned winter sports centre.

History

The first documented quotation of Innsbruck dates back to 1187 ("Insprucke").It served as an important crossing point over the river Inn. Then, the route over the Brennerpass was a major transport and communications link between the north and the south and the easiest path to cross the Alps. The revenues generated by serving as a transit station led to a flourishing development of the city. A large and famous district in Innsbruck - 'Wilten' - got its name from an old Roman settlement 'Veldidena'

from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Innsbruck