Innsbruck and Environs [antikvár]

FACTS ABOUT INNSBRUCK Geographical Information Location The capital of the Tyrol is one of the five major Austrian cities. It is surrounded by the mighty Nordkette mountain range to the north and the Patscherkofel (7,372 ft) and Series (8,921 ft) mountains to the south and southwest at an altitude of 574 m (1,883 ft) above sea level. The city's 116,000 inhabitants live on an area of just under 26,000 acres, which measures 6.8 miles long (from east to west) by 11.2 miles wide (from north to south). The valley of the River Inn, which passes through the city from east to west, and the Wipptal, which allows access to the south towards Italy, have made Innsbruck an important junction of in- ternational rail and auto routes. The landscape around Innsbruck is characterized by three varieties of rock forms: the mighty limestone Nordkette range to the north, then the thickly wooded slate Tuxer Alpen with the Patscherkofel to the south, and what is known as the Brennermesozoic - limestone peaks resting on primeval bedrock — to the southwest, dominated by the Kalkkogel and the Series. Innsbruck, the "City in the Mountains", is a wonderful place to enjoy both the commodities of civilization and the beauty of alpine surround- ings. The wonderful combination of culture, history and mountain scen- ery make Innsbruck a pleasant spot for both summer and winter visits. Climate A special characteristic of this region is the south Foehn, a warm, dry wind that develops as a result of the opening of the north-south Wipptal into the east-west Inn Valley. Most frequent in spring and autumn, this gusty wind leads to remarkable visibility and a slightly higher temper- ature than that in similar areas. Summer temperatures average around 18° Celsius (65° F), with extreme highs around 36°C (128°F). A record low was measured at -27°C (- 17° F) in 1957. Statistics taken over a length of several years show that precipitation is lowest in February, March, October and November, while July seems to bring the most rain. The sunniest month in Innsbruck is September.