Foreign Correspondence

Innsbruck, lx Tyi:ol, Austria, ) Sept. 30, 1872. l Dear PojíD: Innsbruck recoivcd its name frora tho bridge vhich in eariy times wan madu aoress the Inn at this point, by the EoI m ms, tho oldest portion of the place iu yr being a suburb of the city callol Wilton, huving been in that ancient day known by tho namo of Voldidona. Miles-stonea of the time of Soptimus Sovcrus have bieu found here. Haviug in previous letter given some general doscription of the city, a reforence to souie of the more prominent buildings and objects of interest' mny uow be givou. Approaching tho place tho eyu at once takes in tho durk domes of tho Pfarrkivcho, tho palace, the Franciscan or lloifkircho, which are clustered togothcr so closely near the publ:o gardens, and at the southorn BXtremity tho more lofty, equally dark-lookiug steeples of tho Preinonstratentian Abboy and the parish church of AVilten. Other spacious public buildings of note are only discovered as they are met with in rawblefl :ibout the city. In regard to tho churchos, it muy be said none of thom aro posiossed of great architectural beauty, iud none re very spaeious - nor aeed they bo when thero is a church for nearly evorv thousund inhabi tanta, besides a dozen or more chapela. Tho strangor is nuturally drawu first to an exauiination of the Franciscan church, which contains the remarkablo monument orected about throe huudred years ago to the Emporor Maximillian I. - tho church itsolf baving been erected in 1553-63) in accordance with the omporor's wilL ïho monument proper stands centrally in the nave, iind being with the surrounding screen about eight by bixteen fect, and eight foet high, surmountod by a colossal knoeling figuro of tl e tmperoi and fout emblematic liguros - Jusüce, Prudencie, Strength and Temporance, all of bronze, puo seatod upon each corner, formii a vory commanding object in the ohuroh, which is not large. Uut themostfitrikingpartofthe monument !s the pot'ticíil idea represonted by twenty-four stately figures in bronze, arranged a few feet from the screen, as if to guard the tomb, Those figures are each somewhat larger than life sizo and stand upon padestals about two feet high. Kuch is perfeot in itself, and all are good as succiinj na of artjbeing urruyed in the oostume of the perii 1 - p Dsanted by o.ioh personage, some as knigbte in coats of mail with vizors down or raised, and urnied as if for war, some arrayad in the rich faabil. imt nis of royalty.and othen in civic droes, there beiiig a remarkable porfection of d'tailandin every foldandadjnstment, asif not moulded in solid bronze. They reprosent tho f'ollowing persons, beginning on the rigbt : Clovis, the first Christian king of tho Franks; Philip I., of Spain Maximillian's son ; Empcror Rndolph ; Duko Albert tho Wise; Theodoric, king of the Ostrogoths ; Ernest, Duko of Austria; Theodobert, Duke of ïiurgundy; Arthur, king of England, Sigisiumul, Archduke; Biunca Sforza, second wife of Muximillian ; Margaret, his daughter ; Zimburga, wife of Eraost the Iron Hoarted ; Charles the Bold, of Ïiurgundy, Philip thc.Good, hú father; Joan na, wife of Philip and mother of Charles V ; For diuand tte Catholic ; Cunigundo, sister of tho empcror; Eleonora, of Portugal, his mother; Maria of Bugundy, his flrst wife, and daughter of Charles tho Bold ; Elizabeth, wife of Albert II.; Godfrey of Bouillon; Emporor Albert L; Frederic IV., Count of Tyrol, surnttrned. "the empty peckets"; Leopold III., tho Pious : CounItudolph of Hupsburg; Leopold, the fjaint; Emperor Frederio III., Maximillian's father; and tho Emperor Albert II., which completes thecircuit, and embraces a v.'idi) rasge of persons and times, some being persons of Buch legendary i'urae as giivo tlifiin a high placo in the regard and faith of the time. These bronzes wero by tho brothers Godl and Hans Loudenstraneh, and were coinpleted during the period from 1543 to 1383. But the most wonderful productions of beanty, nnd as works of art, are to bfi seen in the relief, which fill '21 panels, two fout by threc, above 1 he sidos and onds of the sarcophagus. They are of pure Carrara marble, and such is tho ex]uisite i perfection of overy detail, the intricacy Of the designs is so rcmurkablc, the foroshortening of the numerous figures and tho perspective is so ekillful, that a person may euriously inspeot thom forhours slill iiuding Bomething to onforce admita tion and uothing to bo improved. They have been with happy expression called " piotures in niarblo." The work is very delicate, as may be inferrod from the fact that battlo scones and others aro representcd, with s great a aumbei of figures of men, horses, weapons of war and banncis, and in all the ruingled iatrieaoy of action, as is ever si?en in steel (ngravings. The relief, also, is very high, raquiring a delioaoy of hand whioh is almost incon(■ iviblo, the inarblo being often worked to a depth of threo inches, leaving the space iilled with the utist's conccption. All but foor are the work of Alex. Colin) during eight yeais - 1658 to 1666. Thorwaldsen, a most competent judge, pronouuced them the most perfect work in that style of art. Tho other four, by tho brothers Abel, are of somewhat Inferior merit, as eompared with the formor, but would elsewhero b considcred as very excellent. Each relief represents porno important incident of tho emperor's life, and th; 01 stumes, armor, &c, of different nationalitios aro historically correct. A list of the subjects will enablo any ono to form some conception of the diffieulty of renderingthemeo faultlessly in the inflexible marble : marriage of tho Emperor with Maria of Burgundy; victory over the Freiich at Guinssrate; taking of Arras; coronation as Roman king at Aix la-Chapullu ; victory of the Tyroleso over the Vonotiaiis at Calliaus ; entry into Vionna iit'tcr the lea ving of tho Hungarians ; Taking of Stuhlwoisseuburg ; return of bis daughter Margaret from France; expcdition of the Turks from Croatia; alli' liance Letweon tho Emperor, Rei ublio of enioo and Pope Alexf.ndeT.VI ; Investmoat of Luilovioo Sforza with tlie Duehy of Mil.iu ; iuarriago of Philip, son of the Emporor, with Joana of An aon ; victory over tho Bohomians at Ratisbon ; siege of Kufstoiu; iubuiis-aon of Duke Charles OÍ' Guilders ; loague of Cauibrai ; surrender of Padua; Max Sforza roinstated Duke of Milan ; second battle of Guinsgate ; mooting of Honry VIII. anri the Eraporor at tho siogo of Tournai ; battlo at Vicenza; attack on tho Venotian camp at Marano ; nuptials of his grandson Ferdinand and of his grand-daughter Maria with tho daughter and sou of Vladislau. king of Hungary : and the dcfenso of Vorona against tho Frenoh and Venetians. AU but tho lust four were by Colin. The whole forin two series about the monument, eightupon eaish of tho sides and four upon oach of the ends ; and taken altogethor, it forms ono cf tho most unique and sumptuous monuments possessed by any church in Europe. l!y tho wall, iu the left aislo ncar tho entranco, is a fine monument in Tyroleso raarble, to Andrew Hofer, the great lculer i.i the heroie struggles of 1809, theeinbodiment of Tyrolese fuith aud bravery. It representa Hofer rather more than lifo aizo, standing with hcad slightly raised, holding the nationu.1 flag in h3 right hand, tho end of the staff resting on the ground ; his left grasps the riflo which is slung by a strap over one shoulder (as tlicy are always carried hore); dressod in peasant costume, his hat and foather lyiug nnar upon a rock at liis side. It was executed by Schaller. In the pedestal (a solid block of grayish colored m.arble, about four feet high), is inserted a íinely executed relief in whito marble-, giving a most exprossive rendering of a scène in which Hofer, holding the lowered banner of his country, together with six Tj'rolese representing tía e six üistriets of tho Tyrol, each resting two fore-fingers of the right band upon tke ring, are solemnly taking an oath to defend it with their lives. On either sido of this monument are tttblots in memory of Spcckbacker and EUspLoger, lus two associates, of nearly equal ronown in local histury. In fact it is almost impossible to read thu history of those times without shtiring ia the admiration which these untruinud héroes huve lieservodly won. Tho war oi in tliu Tyrol was an attempt to stny in this direction the unbounded nnbition of Napoleon, whose eagles wero sweeping with terrible assuranco over Itnly and central Europo. With very little help from Austria, the hardy mountaineers in many a pass and defilo sneoessfully opposed the inroad of their haughty foes This city and every porlion of this valley were repeatedly the sceno of tiloso con" flicts. On tho heights of Berg Isel, a half hour's walk from our rooms, three sauguinary buttles wcre fought. Tho tragio end of llofcr darkens ono of the bloody pages of Napoleon's mad career. Tho peace of Presburg compelled Austria, unsupported as sho waR by the other European powers, to surrender 2,000 square miles of territory, embracing the Tyrol, to the dictator of Europe. Though compelled to acquiosce, the rosult was a sad blow to the stül dotorniined Tyroleae; and in tho uneertainty as to the truo state of the fact thoy continued their resistance. This was held by somo of tho French guards to be punishable as treason, and captures wero mado accordingly. Hofer, having bec-n betrayed, was sought out, captured, and taken to Mantua. A court martial was immediately summonod, and tho trial at once proceeded. The court was dividod two voting for his unoonditional aequittal, a ninjority for simple confinement, the remninder for death. Tho President, uncertain how to procced', askod instructions from Milan. A telegraphic order was received from Napoleon that the prisoner bo shot within twenty-four hours ■ - this hasto being designed to forestall all intercessions in Ilofer's bebttlf- and on the 20th of Pebruary, 1810, tho murderous command was caTried out. Refusing to havo his eyes bandaged or to knoeithe noble martyr for his country said : "I stand before Him who created me, and Btanding I will ronder up my soul to Ilim." IIo was buried ;it Mantua, but in 1823 his admiring countrymen, amid demonstr:itions of lovo and respect from noble and poaeant, with uil the impressive services of the chureh he had loved, and attended by a vast concourse from every hill and valloy in the land, deposited his remains in tho Hoffkircho, and over them raised tho monument we havo described. Iuimcdiately opposito, upon the other side oí thu church, a niarblo memorial garcophagua has been placed, in honor of all the defenderá of their country who have fallen sinco 179C. A scroll in the hands of ono of the figures is inscribed : lAbtorpUi est mors in victoria,." Anothor highly interesting portion of this church is that known as the silberne capelle - so oalled from the silvor statue of tho virgin, and tho litany ombossed in the saine metal apon tho altar. There is Bomewhat of romance, as well as more than ordinary commjn interost attaching to this chapel. In 1564. Ferdinand I., brother a-id successor to Charles V., resigncd tho Tyrol to his second son, Ferdinand II., the Archduke, who, having been in attendanco at a dict held at Augsburg in 1 .j-17, had seen and bccomo euaniored with Fhilippina Wolser, tho beautiful duughter of a wealthy citizen of that placo, and three ycars after married her. This offonded tho royal fathor, who cast him off, refusing to see or have nny further intercourse with him. Notwithstanding her husbond's love, and tho thonsand gonerous acta with which ho ( sought to beautify and iuako happy their home, she feit ill at eaoe, and could not bear the thought that sho should have brought troublo to her husband. Unablo to enduro hor angllish longer, sho provido.l hcrsolf with the most beconiing attiie to set off hor greut beauty, and accompanied by hor two ckildren procecded to tho court of the implacable futher, and obtained an audienco without inaking known her identicy. Casting herself ut Lis feet, in aocentb of tho deepest earnestnesa she told the sad story of purest lovo, a happy maniago, sweet ohildron, everythitig that was bright but tho unyielding colduess of her husband's father, who would not consent to bo reconciled, and sought her sovereign's iutercossion in bohalf of her faithful husband. Moved at the sight of so much beauty in toars, and by tho pathos of her affoctionato appoal, tho monarch burst forth at ouce : " Wliut i very tyrant lie must bo who cannot forgive such an angolic creature;" to which Philippina responded : "How so, my lord JEuiperor, if you yoursolf are the man. I am Philippina Welser, the wife of your unfortunato son. Deal with ine aa you may think best." Ferdinand raiscd lbo fair suppliant, and pressing hor to his heart, called her his daughter. This is said to have been twolve yoars after lier mahtjage, íinl two years later the Tyrol and castlo Ambras wero giren to the Arehduke, and tho latter was fitted up with rogal magnificenee, and thero, till 1580, sho lived to enjoy tho blissful happiness which succeeded this roconciliation. It was Ferdinand tho Arehduke, her husband, who caused the silver chupel to bo constructed and littcd up in 1508, during his own lifotime, to receive the toinbs of himself and his devoted wife. It is only opon to the public on the iirst Sun. day of eaeh month, and is then attended by largo numbers throughout tho day. Entering the church, wo ascend tho steps at theright, and a door opens directly int.o tho smull room fitted up as a chapel, perhaps twelve feet by thirty in size, an iron screen dividing tho spacc into two portions nearly equal, separating tho people from the altar and its precious apurten ancos. Tho figure of tho virgin nppears to be of abovo life size, and in forin resembles the -Madonna, of Guido. It is said to be eon&tructed entirely of silver. Tlr.s and the lettering eml.os9ed on tho ebon constitute its moit distiaguiahing charafiteristics, all elso being simply rieh and tusteful. Just outsido the screen, in the portiou occupied by visitón and worshipiii rs, is the tomb of Philippina. It occupics a small arched recesa in the wall at at tho left, and supports a rocumbeut marble effigy, said to be a good likenei-3. It was executoi by Colin, md boars upon its front an inscription and two relief. - They howevetr, bear no comparison to t!ie work upon Maximillian's tomb, and must be by some other hand. Insidc the iron screen, in a much largor recessed arch, lined with black marble, is tho tomb of Ferdinand. An effigy in yellowish marble representa tho Arehduko reoumbent. The army and grand sliiold aro shown in mosaio. Four tablets of white marblo represent in low relief four important events in his life. On a bracket near is arranged in kneeling posture tho real arniov of tho Arehduke. Below these two tombs there aro placed standing in a row or within a niche, P.nd elevated about six foet, 23 statuettcs in bronze, of various saints, who in their lifotime were either Dukcs or Counts, and in souio way rolated to tho Archdukoi eaoh being about two feet in hcight, and regarded by critics as fine specimens of art. They wero exocuted by Oregory Lofllor about 1580, whose reputation as a bronzo founder stood nearly equal to that of Vischer. Tho idea involved in this arrangement of theso figures is doubtlosi that of an appeal tbr the intercession and guardainship of all the particular saints hero represented. In a space extending bcneath tho silver chapel, and opening into the vight aislo of the church, is tho tomb of the counti Piccolcmini, niaid of honor to Claudia de Medici (tho energetic wife of Leopold V.), by whom tho pass Suharnitz was so strongly fortified during the thirty-years war. It is surmounted by a well executed recumbont effigy in white marble. Of course strangors are to bo eoen at this church at all times, inspeeting the extromely intcresting collection of meritorious and historical works of art. Tho palace stands upon tho opposite sido of tho street, and is a very long building of four stories, the second of wliich is occupied by tho Stadtholder or Governor of the Tyrol, (ind the third is assigned to iho Etnperor's uso whon in the city. It has no beauty of st vlo, and was erected about a century ngo whon littlo attention was paid to the architec. turo of public edifices. In tho Rcnn platz fronting the palace is an equestriau statueof Leopold V.,irocted by his wife Claudia, accerding to the long Ltitin inscription it bears. This platz forms tho south end of tho public park or Anlagen, wldoh exteiuls to tbe river, and though uot largo contains some fine avenues and splendid specimens of Linden and Chesnut trees. Tho main avenue forurs tho street leading to ZMühlan, and is over two miles loiifi, and few walks on a hot day are moro doligtful thau the parallel and wido avenues assigned to pedestiians, which follow close upon tho river bank beneath those nob'e trees, the entire distancefrom the susponsion bridgo at Mühlan, to tho small park nearly opposito tho Uisuline convent. Tho Anlagen is in effect groatly enlarg ed as well as boautified by threwing open to public use tho enclosed pahvee garden which adjoins it, the shadv, winding walkt, and flowers, and fonn taina, of 'whioB are laid oiit in tho most attractivo manner, and what is equally commondable, provided most amply with a gonerous sup ply of seats, judiciously distributed in ovory part. The theater 13 a neat edifiue with a fino CorintUian colonnado fronting upon tho public park. Adjoining the Pranciscan or Court Churoh is the Gymnasium, au extensive and attractive building üf threa storios ; and adjoining the latter is the University, a singlo long building of threa stories with a front of nearly similar styleTho University was i'ounded by Ferdinand, about t.hrto l.ur-.dred ytara ago, and has receivod its principal patronage from this provincc umi vicinity, its present attendanoe being about fivo hundred. It has a livrgu library of minerological and geological colloctions, philosophical and ebcuiical apparatus, &c. A very good botanical garden oocupiec au acre or more in tlio roar yard, and is laid out in sucli excellent taste as to forin not only a usoi'ul adjunct but au attractive promenade as well. In speaking of tho palace, mcntion should havo been made of tho ingeniou3 arrangement which may be fairly entitled "Church goiug made easy to Koyalty." From tho palaco an extensión is projected on the west, throngh which a private ontrance is conduoted into the royal cago noxt tho chanoel of the Pi'arr church ; on tho cast another privato entrance pxtcnds ovi r ,i wide arch ocrosa Graben Strasse iuto a similar screened lookout in Huiki'che and from this continuing across to tho Gymnasium, through this into tho University, and thonce iinally across tho space boyond by another private passage, to comfortable seclusion in tho Jcsuit cliureh While tlus seetns to favor an unostentatious spirit, it seems equally impossibld to know whethei the royal attendanco is either full or regular. The Pfarrchurch has tlit1 ;i;st juutentious appearancearchiteoturally. It is in tho Ialian stylc - of free stone and has a fine dome butdoes not very favorably impress the beholder, and the exterior niches being unfilled sceiu to give it an vmfinished nppearaucc. The dome is supported by reddish colored marble columns, and tho eight sido altars aro o f similar material. The grand altar is of Italian marblo, itspillars resting upon tablea Of green porphyry. One of tho chief triüisuros of this church istliesmall Maña Hilf, by Cranach. It is about 20 by 30 inchea in sl.a. It v;is onee tho property df Prince George of Saxony, who set so high a valué upon it that ho carried it about with him in all his journoyings. Kcing too smalt of itselt tor an altar piecc, it has boon iusoniously surroonded by au ottrer picture of suitable size, by Joseph Shatf, so that tho formër appeara aa it held by thchand of tho principal figuro of the latter. The device is not, however, so skillfully executed ns to escapo dotoction. A small silver altar also belongs to this church. Tha Jesuit church hits a. regular fortress like appearance in front. It was erected in 10 10, having boen begun in 1G27, by Leopold V. and oontains extensiva vaults. Among tho illustrious dead are the remains of the foundor, and also Claudia, his wit'c, who dic (1 in 1(548. Tho equetrian statuo of Leopold wasoriginally dosigned by his wife, to havo oeeupied a place in tho roar of the ohurch, but wat subsequeutly locuted in tho Benn plata The Ca.p'ichin chapul and cloister foundel by Ferdinand, in 1593, at thu soliuitation of liis se,o inl wife, is only noticeablt as having a cell in which tho Arch-duk &Iaximllian annually spent Sjvcral wcek i; : ui ly and pious meditations, a very jji:ai! and cheerlesa seclusion, 1 must cl'ito for tho present. Ever yours,