Helblinghaus

The Helblinghaus, at Herzog-Friedrich-Strasse 10 in the Altstadt of Innsbruck, Tyrol, Austria, is a burgher house opposite the Goldenes Dachl. Its core is late Gothic and dates to the 15th century, when it was one of the many tall, narrow merchants' houses lining the main street of the medieval town. The building takes its name from the Helbling family, who owned it in the 17th century. In the early 18th century, it was given a new facade covered with rich Rococo stucco, so that the front now looks very different from the Gothic structure behind it.

The facade is decorated with dense, swirling ornament, including shell shapes, foliage and scrolls, painted in a pastel colour scheme that stands out among the neighbouring houses. This stucco work is attributed to the circle of the Tyrolean Baroque artists who worked in the city around 1730, and it is considered among the finest examples of its kind in Innsbruck. The house is not a museum, and it is used for commercial and private purposes, so there are no interior displays for visitors. Its value is in the exterior and the way it illustrates a typical layering of styles in the Old Town.

The building follows the pattern of the Innsbruck arcaded street front, with a ground floor of arches used by shops and an upper facade with an oriel window. The facade has been conserved and repainted over the years, and it remains in good condition. Because the house stands next to the Goldenes Dachl and the Stadtturm, it is part of the standard walking route through the historic centre, and it is best appreciated from the street, ideally with a look at its details and the contrast with the neighbouring Gothic houses.