Are you interested in an out of the ordinary visit? Kristallwelten is the place for you: an enchanted place made of colorful and brilliant Swarovski crystals.
Traveling means marveling. And what is more enchanting, if not a world made of brightly colored and bright ones Swarovski crystals guarded by a mysterious giant in a garden?
It is the world created a few kilometers from Innsbruck, Austria, by the artist André Heller, in 1995, to celebrate the 2015th anniversary of the Swarovski company and is undoubtedly an eccentric, fascinating and magical place, which has also been the subject of improvements, renovations and additions recently, just in XNUMX.
The story of the Giant guardian of wonders
Heller tells the story of the Giant of Wonders who collects and guards all the treasures collected for the world. The story of the Giant is lost in the distant past, in the time when this huge character of the fantasy, like a curious traveler, leaves for the world, to explore it from top to bottom.
Collects curiosities, lights and wonders and once back in his country of origin, here, among the valleys of the Austrian Tyrol, builds his personal "chambers of wonders", which he will watch over time.
The history of the Wattens Giant has very specific historical roots. Between the end of the sixteenth and the beginning of the seventeenth century, while European art opens up to the new culture of the Baroque, collectors and wealthy people everywhere compete with each other to the sound of riches and "oddities": the Wunderkammerns are born, literally "chambers of wonders", enchanting collections of objects as strange, eccentric and exotic as it was possible to find.
Those of the time were objects chosen to amaze and enchant the visitor, shiny shells, stuffed crocodiles, mechanical puppets, plants and fossils preserved in amber, precious caskets carved in ebony or ivory. Today we are far from the taste of that era, but our desire to be enchanted has not gone out of fashion!
The rooms of the Kristallwelten: a world of Swarovski
The Kristallwelten of Wattens-Innsbruck contains 16 rooms in which works of art by great artists are reproduced and set up using Swarovski crystals of different colors and according to studied themes:
1. Blue Room
2. Mechanical Theater
3. Crystal Cathedral
4. Silent Light
5. Into Lattice Sun
6. Ready to Love
7. Ice Pass
8. Transparent Opacity
9. Studio Job Wunderkammer
10. The Absolute Primadonna
11. Eden
12. FAMOS
13. 55 Million Crystals
14. Heroes of Peace
15. El Sol
16. Timeless
Particularly appreciated by visitors is the possibility of viewing the information of a standard guided tour by logging in to the free wi-fi for “crystalworlds” guests at www.kristallwelten.com/visit from a smartphone or tablet!
When to go
The museum is open every day from 8.30 to 19.30 (last admission at 18.30) from September to June, while in July and August from 8.30 to 22.00 (last admission at 21.00).
How to reach Wattens
From the central station of Innsbruck, Ibk Hauptbahnhof, a very practical shuttle bus leaves five times a day for a price of € 9,50 return (children and teenagers go up for free up to 15 years).
Seasonal activities in a world of Swarovski
The Good Giant of Wattens offers its visitors the opportunity to choose from many different activities in addition to visiting its museum: for summer and winter seasonal programs are drawn up which include outdoor events, workshops, tastings, cinema and much more.
Once you have clear ideas about the time of year in which you will visit, look for the program on the official website of Kristallwelten Museum Innsbruck and evaluate the activity that's right for you!
What is expected for summer 2018?
From 1 July to 31 August, the garden will light up for the Summer festival, according to an accurate project in collaboration with set designer Simon Costin.
The calendar of the Outdoor cinema with an afternoon show designed for children and an evening show for the whole family.
And yoga classes in the fantastic Parco del Gigante, energizing breakfasts and gourmet tastings, you will be spoiled for choice!
