An antiquities hall is a room dedicated to the presentation of objects from antiquity, where ‘old and rare things’ are stored.
Around 1500, these places of retreat, reflection, and knowledge became increasingly common in the course of Renaissance humanism. Halls of antiquities were places of engagement with tradition, demonstrated a certain understanding of antiquity, and revealed the financial means of their owners to afford such rare objects.
Also Archduke Ferdinand II established an antiquities hall. Nevertheless, the prince was not primarily concerned with original artwork from antiquity but was rather interested in the displayed themes, for which duplicates and castings were just as fine.
The 85 niches in the Ambras Hall of Antiquities display Ferdinand’s collection of plaster, marble, or clay heads of famous personalities from antiquity and mythology. Furthermore, it includes terracotta figurines of various Habsburgs, modelled after the collection of engravings ‘Imagines Gentis Austriacae’ after 1600. In 1695, 20 bronze busts of Roman emperors – originally made for the tomb of Emperor Maximilian I – found their way to Ambras.
The Hall of Antiquities was a room for collectors to pursue their scientific interests.
The busts of emperors and terracotta figurines are reminiscent of Ferdinand II’s great grandfather, Emperor Maximilian I. While the busts of emperors were originally made for the never fully realized tomb of Maximilian I, most of the small, bronzed figurines correspond to the ‘Schwarze Mandern’ (literally, ‘Black Men’) still found in today’s Court Church in Innsbruck.
The exciting compilation of antique originals and ‘fakes’ from the 16th century reflects the enormous interest of the Renaissance in Antiquity.
Ambras Castle Innsbruck
Schlossstraße 20
6020 Innsbruck
Daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Closed in november
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