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Unmasking Winter: Innsbruck

From wintery scenes to a storied history, this quaint Austrian city provides the perfect backdrop to shoot with an HONOR View 20.

Fog blankets the city of Innsbruck in the early evening. The HONOR View 20’s 48MP AI Ultra Clarity camera mode was able to capture the train moving as well as the background, without losing details to the fog and mist

Photograph by Robbie Shone

Innsbruck, the capital of the Austrian state of Tyrol, is the fifth-largest city in the country. However, with a population of around 130,000 people, it is by no means a major metropolis.

The small local population shouldn’t fool you, though, as Innsbruck is an extremely popular destination due to its proximity to the mountains and the ample nearby avenues for winter sports. This explains why it has played host to two Winter Olympics, in 1964 and 1978.

In addition, the city also hosted the Winter Paralympics in 1984 and 1988, and the inaugural Winter Youth Olympic Games in 2012.

However, Innsbruck isn’t purely a place for winter athletes. Over 35,000 people commute every day, including adventurers like Robbie Shone, who calls the area home. For Shone, a National Geographic Photographer best known for exploring caves around the world, it is the perfect place to live and love during lull periods.

The peaceful mountain town has plenty of charm, according to Shone, which is why he recently chose to wander around and capture striking images of his adoptive home during the chillier months of the year.

^{Exploring Innsbruck in Winter}

Shone says that winter is one of his favorite times to shoot outdoors, especially in a city like Innsbruck.

“During the winter, fallen snow adds an extra layer of drama to photos,” said Shone. “You simply don’t get the same sense of scale during summer. Days that are misty and cloudy, with fog, also add character.”

As a city with a storied history, Innsbruck is host to many notable sites, including a University that was founded in 1669, and a clocktower that was built between 1442 and 1450. There is also the Kaiserliche Hofburg, a former imperial palace that was built in the 15^thcentury.

However, one historical building, the famous Golden Roof, is considered the icon of Innsbruck. It has stood the test of time, tall and proud for over 500 years. Built by the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian, the structure is a sight to be seen. Maximilian’s Tomb can also be found in Innsbruck, showing the deep connection that he had with the city.

For those who like to explore nature, Innsbruck also doesn’t disappoint. There are parks and gardens to visit in the Old Town area, and one can easily get up to the mountains via a quick monorail ride.

Shone also encourages visitors to try and reach greater heights with their photography and exploration, as the mountains are easily accessible and great vantage points for viewfinders.

“It only takes a few minutes to get about 2000 meters up,” shared Shone. “You get an unbelievable view from up high, and you get a really good sense of space and light while looking down on the city during the evening. It may seem daunting, but it’s definitely worth doing.”

This is the first of a three-part series. Visit the ‘See the Unseen’ HONOR Gallery to discover more of Robbie’s winter adventures. All photos in this article were taken using the 48MP camera AI Ultra Clarity mode on the HONOR View 20, responsible for the detail seen in the photos.