If, while strolling through the Old Town in Innsbruck, you see a building of fairy-tale beauty before you, do not doubt it - this is Helblinghaus. Snow-white, with pink curls, with hundreds of molded ornaments that look like lace, resembling a multi-tiered wedding cake with rich icing, this house is in fact very ancient and dignified.
The foundation of the building appeared on Herzog-Friedrich-Straße as early as the 15th century. It was a residential house with several apartments in the early Gothic style. The following three centuries brought several changes to the structure and design of the building - two rows of bay windows were added, the shape of the roof changed, and the rooms were expanded. But the greatest metamorphoses of Helblinghaus came in the 18th century, when the ornate and luxurious Rococo style reigned in Austria.
In 1732, architect Anton Gigl completely renovated the building, bringing its appearance in line with the tenets of Rococo - more curls, more decorations, maximum roundness, delicacy, and splendor. An incredible amount of artistic stucco molding (a special marble plaster for decoration) made this building one of the most recognizable not only in Innsbruck, but throughout Europe.
The building got its name from Sebastian Helbling, who owned the house in 1800-1827 and opened a cafe on the ground floor. Today, Helblinghaus also has a cafe and shops on the ground floor, while the upper floors are occupied by apartments.
