Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna, Austria

Schönbrunn Palace is a former imperial summer residence located in Vienna. The 1,441-room Baroque palace is one of the most important architectural, cultural, and historical monuments in the country. The history of the palace and its vast gardens spans over 300 years, reflecting the changing tastes, interests, and aspirations of successive Habsburg monarchs.

The site of the Palace and Gardens of Schönbrunn is outstanding as one of the most impressive and well preserved Baroque ensembles of its kind in Europe. Additionally, it is a potent material symbol of the power and influence of the House of Habsburg over a long period of European history, from the end of the 17th to the early 20th century.

It is impossible to separate the gardens from the palace, of which they form an organic extension: this is an excellent example of the concept of Gesamtkunstwerk, a masterly fusion of many art forms.

A small hunting lodge and later summer residence of the Habsburg family was rebuilt after total destruction during the last Turkish attack in 1683. During construction work the project was expanded into an Imperial summer residence of the court. As such it represents the ascent and the splendour of the Habsburg Empire. At the peak of Habsburg power at the beginning of the 18th century, when imperial Vienna following the Turkish reflected its regained significance in spectacular examples of newly developing Baroque art, Schönbrunn was one of the most important building projects of the capital and residency.

The ample Baroque gardens with their buildings (Gloriette, Roman ruins etc.) and statuary testify to the palace's imperial dimensions and functions. The original intention, when they were laid out in the 18th century, was to combine the glorification of the House of Habsburg with a homage to nature. The Orangery on the east side of the main palace building is, at 186 m, the longest in the world. The Great Palm House is an impressive iron-framed structure, 114 m long and divided into three Sections, erected in 1880 using technology developed in England.

References:

UNESCO

User Reviews

Stanley Ma (16 days ago)
Even though we didn’t get tickets, strolling through the gardens of Schönbrunn Palace in the winter snow was absolutely breathtaking. The grandeur of the royal gardens and their meticulously planned beauty left us in awe. The Gloriette at night was especially stunning, glowing with an enchanting charm. This place is definitely worth visiting again in the summer. Of course, next time, we’ll be sure to get tickets in advance.

Gavin Kelly (18 days ago)
I very much enjoyed Schronbrunn. It is not as beautiful as Versailles in France, but it was fantastic and not nearly as crowded and is much easier to get to. I recommend an early start to avoid crowds. Definitely buy your tickets in advance. The gardens were very fun to walk; I suggest 2 hours here, maybe 3 hours. The Christmas market was also very fun.

Catherine Barfknecht (20 days ago)
We had a tour guide which was very nice because we got to skip the queues. However there is audio devices you can hire if you want to do it on your own. Definitely recommend giving this a visit, fascinating history

Adriana Ardila (43 days ago)
This is a beautiful palace, definitely worth the visit. We paid for the extra package where we saw Sissy's rooms. The gardens are large and great for walking and enjoying the outdoors. They are open to the public, so you see people running or taking pictures there. In November and December, there's a Christmas market at the entrance of the palace. That's an additional activity to do there.

Lorena (44 days ago)
Stunning palace, a jewel of architecture and history preserved intact over time. I recommend taking the grand tour even though it’s more expensive, but it’s truly worth it as it will allow you to visit hidden gems such as the original bed with the original lining from Empress Mary Theresa. The ballroom is however the most impressive and breathtaking place Yaren in the visit and is included with all ticket options. I recommend visiting the gardens behind the palace for a stroll, and hiking to the top of the hill where a cute cafe overlooks the city. It’s a 15m walk up, not for the faint of heart, but worth every step.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright discopalace

Historic Site of the week

Sigmaringen Castle

Sigmaringen Castle was first mentioned in the year 1077 in the chronicles of Petershausen monastery. The oldest parts of the castle are concealed beneath the alterations made during the 17th and the 19th centuries. The secret of the earliest settlement built on this defendable rock will never be fully revealed: large-scale excavation work would be necessary, which the extensive land development renders impossible. Judging from the many Roman remains unearthed in the area around Sigmaringen, the 12th century keep known as the 'Roman Tower' could be traced back to a Roman predecessor.

The castle remains that have been preserved (gate, great hall and keep) date back to the Staufer period around 1200. The castle remains were integrated into subsequent buildings. The foundations of the castle buildings are to a large extent identical to the surrounding castle wall.

These remains give us a good idea of how the castle might have looked during the 12th century.

Schönbrunn Palace

Address

Details

More Information

Rating

Interesting Sites Nearby

User Reviews

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Finest Norman castles in Italy

Exploring the History of Northern Poland

Discovering Slovenia's Historic Wonders

Historic Site of the week

Sigmaringen Castle