Stadtturm (Town Tower), Innsbruck (must see)

The Town Tower, known locally as the Stadtturm, has watched over Innsbruck's medieval Old Town for nearly 580 years and remains one of the city's most recognizable landmarks. Built around 1444 as part of the Old Town Hall, the 51-meter, or 166-foot, tower served as the city's principal watchtower, with guards known as Türmer keeping constant watch for fires, floods, and approaching danger.

Originally crowned with a Gothic roof, it received its distinctive green onion dome in 1560, when the upper section was remodeled in the Renaissance style that still defines the city's skyline. Four wrought-iron gargoyles and the first tower clock were added in 1603, while the tower's lower floors also served as the municipal prison. To appreciate these architectural features from street level, stand in the middle of Herzog-Friedrich Street and look up toward the top of the tower. There you can spot the copper-sheeted bulbous roof and the four decorative wrought-iron spouts jutting out over the street.

The Town Tower offers one of the finest panoramic viewpoints in Innsbruck. The main challenge is reaching the observation deck, located 30 meters, or 98 feet, above the streets. Climb the 133 narrow steps, paying attention to the unusual double-helix staircase, whose separate stairways were ingeniously designed to keep ascending and descending visitors apart. Go through the entrance door into the central cylinder of the structure to find the staircase, where two completely independent flights of steps coil around each other up the central shaft.

Once you reach the wooden observation gallery, the reward is a breathtaking 360-degree panorama. Push open the wooden access door at the top of the stairs to step onto the iron-railed platform that wraps around the outer stone midsection of the tower. From here, you can look down on the maze of medieval lanes, colorful historic houses, and the glittering Golden Roof, while the River Inn winds through the valley below. Beyond the rooftops rise the dramatic peaks of the Nordkette mountain range, and to the south you can spot the Bergisel Ski Jump. The narrow gallery accommodates only a limited number of visitors at a time, allowing you to enjoy the views at a leisurely pace.