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the summer-residence of the emperor
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Schönbrunn was the former summer residence of Austrian’s previous imperial family. It takes its name from a beautiful spring that was found on this site. An earlier hunting lodge was destroyed by the Turks, so Emperor Leopold I asked Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach to design a grand Baroque residence here in 1695. Then it was Empress Maria Theresia who employed Nikolaus Pacassi (her court architect) to complete the project in the mid-18th century.
The palace has some of the best Rococo interiors in central Europe while the surrounding Schlosspark is home to the Tiergarten, Vienna’s zoo, and the Palmenhaus (Palm House). To the west of the neighbouring villa district of Hietzing is the much wilder parkland of the Lainzer Tiergarten, a former royal hunting ground that’s now a haven for wildlife.
The palace contains nearly 1500 rooms, and in its day, would have housed more than 1000 servants. Even though the sheer scale of the place is undeniably impressive, the building itself is something of an acquired taste; its plain façade is painted a rather pale mustard yellow color.
The interior of the palace contains excellent arrays of Baroque and Rococo State rooms. There is also a fine collection of imperial carriages in the Wagenburg (Coach Museum), plus temporary exhibitions in the Orangerie.
The best way to enter Schonbrunn and the Schlosspark to go directly to the Meidlinger Tor on the Grünberg strasse from U-Bahn Schönbrunn, rather than walking along the multi-lane freeway to the main gates of the Schönbrunn Palace.
You could also continue one stop further on the U-Bahn to Hietzing, and walk into the park via the Hietzing Tor on Hietzinger Haup strasse. This will enable you to look at the nearby Hofpavillon Hietzing, the imperial family’s private U-Bahn station. Directions: Take the U4 U-Bahn to Schonbrunn train station; then head directly to Meidlinger Tor on the Grünberg strasse. Or you can walk along the freeway & go directly to the main gates of the Palace.
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Schloß Schönbrunn had been the Viennese summer residence for Austrian Royalty for many decades. Today it's open for anybody to visit. The tour of the castle is a fascinating journey back into history and allows a little glimpse into what life was like for royalty during the 1700, 1800, and 1900's. The castle was built by the ruling Habsburgs (Maximilian II) between 1696 and 1712. It has 1,441 rooms and is decorated in the delicate rococo style.
We did the grand tour (40 rooms, includes audio-guide, Euro 11.50/person), which lasted about 2 hours. The tour is conducted electronically via headsets, which allows you to go at your own pace.
Noteworthy: One of Austrias great rulers, Empress Maria Theresia (1700s), resided in the palace and gave birth to most of her 16 children there.
The castle also offers much information about Empress Elisabeth(Sissi), wife of Franz Joseph (late 1800s). Elisabeth became somewhat of a national heroine due to the romantic series of Sissi-films. I picked up her biography in the extensive castle bookstore, and I would recommend that anybody who is enchanted by the myth NOT read it - reality might destroy the romantic illusion.
Franz seemed to be quite a workaholic, spending many hours at his office (first room of the tour). One thing confused us; movement seemed to be through one eternal passageway. So we wondered if Sissi would have passed 19 rooms to get to the 20th, until we found a labyrinth of back passages for residents to move throughout the palace. There were also some art rooms dedicated to Chinese / Indian paintings. Emperess Theresa was also the mother of Marie Antoinette, married into the French family, and who said the famous words before the Revolution 'If the peasants dont have bread, let them eat cake!'. Very educational!
Leave a Comment Phone: +43 1 81113 0Directions: Schönbrunn is located in the 13th district of Vienna. Detailed directions can be found at the official website (the site also has maps and links to public transport sites) Website: http://www.schoenbrunn.at/en/site/publicdir/
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Schönbrunn Palace (German: Schloss Schönbrunn [ʃøːnˈbʁʊn]) in Vienna is one of the most important cultural monuments in Austria and since the 1860s has also been one of the major tourist attractions in Vienna. The palace and gardens illustrate the tastes, interests and aspirations of successive Habsburg monarchs.
The sculpted garden space between the palace and the Neptune Well (viewn towards Gloriette, which is on top of the hill) is called the Great Parterre ["Great Ground Floor"]. The French garden, a big part of the area, was planned by Jean Trehet in 1695. It contains, among others, a maze.
The complex however includes by far more attractions: Besides the Tiergarten, world's oldest existing zoo (founded in 1752), an orangerie erected around 1755, staple luxuries of European palaces of its type, a Palm house (replacing, by 1882, around ten earlier and smaller glass houses in the western part of the park) is noteworthy. Western parts were turned into English garden style in 1828–1852. At the outmost western edge, a botanical garden going back to an earlier arboretum was re-arranged in 1828, when the Old Palm House was built. Thisone is currently being restored and partly will be house a modern enclosure for Orang-Utans, besides a restaurant and office rooms. It will be re-opened in 2009.
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 The Schonbrunn and a timely
patch of sun by tiabunna, 4 more photos
During the latter part of their reign, the Schonbrunn was the main palace of the Habsburg Emperors. Construction started in 1696 and extensions and modifications continued into the 19th century. Franz Josef, the last major Emperor of the line, spent his life here and also died in the palace in 1916: after WW I, the Austrian State became a Republic and took over ownership of the palace. The palace complex is enormous, but apparently had been planned to be even larger: the Habsburgs apparently were trying to match their French relatives with the Palace of Versailles! The Schonbrunn, nonetheless, was still sufficient to be included in the World Heritage List in 1996.
In one day (all we could spare), it is impossible to see everything at the Schonbrunn, so we decided to wander the grounds rather than take a group tour through some of the lavish rooms. We were glad that we did and, fortunately, the weather improved during the day.
It’s all very imposing, from the moment you enter the main (rear?) courtyard (Photo 2 - panorama) where the fiacres, lending a nice period appearance, are dwarfed by the building (Photo 3). Now walk around to the front, facing the main gardens, pretend you are an Emperor by standing on the balcony, and be amazed by the view (Photo 4). The grounds and gardens (more photos in travelogue) are designed to complement the palace itself. It’s all on a grand scale, such as the “Roman Ruin” area (Photo 5). On the hill, the Gloriette (separate tip) dominates the skyline and provides a counterpoint across the gardens from the main palace. Somehow our backyard barbecue area now seems inadequate! Phone: +43 (1) 8111 3239Directions: Metro line U4 to Schonbrunn – the walk to the palace is well signposted (or just follow the crowds!).Website: www.schoenbrunn.at/de/publicdir/
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After the Schönbrunn was constructed and the gardens developed, something was needed to complete the picture. At the request of Maria Theresa, widow of Emperor Franz 1, the Gloriette and the Neptune fountain in front of it were constructed at the top of the hill in the 1770s. And the function of the Gloriette? Essentially ornamental, though it was used for dining and functions by the Emperors and now houses a café and small souvenir shop.
I’d have to say that the Gloriette succeeds very well as a counterpoint to the main palace and focal point for the end of the gardens (Main photo). Any doubts you may have about that should be dispelled by the magnetic attraction it seems to exert on the crowds visiting (yes, including us). We managed to avoid the urge to make a direct assault on it, and strolled around the grounds: but there never was any doubt about our destination!
Enroute, pass the Neptune Fountain (Photo 2) then the large water feature which gives great reflections – pity about the delivery van in Photo 3 though! Finally, you’ve reached it, and it still remains imposing (Photo 4) even from closer up. At this stage, you have a choice of the café, an outdoor refreshment area, or just head for the flat roof and take in the view (there is a small charge). We headed for the roof first (seniors discounts apply) and found quite a reasonable view of Vienna (Photo 5) then, as it was a warm day, thought about a cool drink (see “Tourist Trap”). Directions: You will find the Gloriette at the rear of the Schonbrunn (if the area you enter is taken as the front).
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 by Hosell
There are some guided tours inside the palace,even though only can be visited some of most important rooms,the whole palace has 1.700 rooms!.There are also audioguides availables,a good choice if you want to learn everything about the palace without book any guided tour.
Here were living also the Emperor Franz Joseph and his wife Elizabeth "Sissi" and it was used as summer residence,it is located just outisde of the city center.
Don't miss to see here the Carriages Museum!. Leave a Comment
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 Queen of Hungary and Bohemia
in the morning dusk by csordila, 4 more photos
Soon after the end of the Austro- Hungarian monarchy the palace was opened to the public, drawing around 1.5 million visitors annually.
The complex beside the palace consist of a huge park, the Palm House, the Gloriette, which houses Café Gloriette and also a Zoo.
The Palace is a wonderful historic monument. Each room is decorated differently and features the most impressive antique furniture of the epoch and fresco ceilings and wall painting.
Mozart played his first concert in the mirror room as a child prodigy when he was six years old.
The Imperial Tour is that shortest among the tours of the Palace. The apartments of Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth are on the top of Blue Staircase in the west wing.
Each room is decorated in courtly tradition and lifestyle, all twenty rooms. Their portraits as portrayed by world famous artist Franz Xaver Winterhalter, display powerful attention to each detail. The empress's dressing room had undergone major reconstruction work, and is kept suitably after historical models.
The Empress, the very popular Sissi was killed by Italian anarchist Lucheni, as she was walking from her hotel in Geneva to the ship on which she was to leave for Montreux, in 1898. Lucheni sentenced to life in prison, hanged himself in 1910.
The Empror Franz Joseph spent his last years entirely in the palace.
In 1996 the Palace, due to its historical background and its splendid furnishings was put on the list of UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Sites
Opening hours in season 8.30 am to 6.00 pm daily
Admission Imperial Tour: Adults €9,50, Children (6-18) €5,90, Students (19-25), €8,50
Tickets & Tours: http://www.schoenbrunn.at/en/plan-your-visit/tickets-tours.html
Photos are not allowed.
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 by Anjutka
For a complete impression of Schönbrunn even a full day is not enough. I would recommend to reserve one day for the palace and the park including the Palmenhaus and a second day for the zoo, the oldest one in the world (founded 1752) and after the recent renovation one of the best zoos in the world.. Leave a Comment Directions: south-west from the centre of the city, best reached by the Subway line U4 (the "green" line). For the palace and the park the appropriate station is "Schönbrunn", fo rthe zoo the station "Hietzing" is closer
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The Early Classicistic colonnaded Gloriette was built after the plans of Johann Ferdinand Hetzendorf von Hohenberg on the crest of the hill in 1775.
The structure consists of a central section in the form of a triumphal arch, flanked by arcaded wings with lofty semi-circular arches. The central section, which was glazed during the last year of Maria Theresa's life, is crowned with a mighty imperial eagle perching on a globe and surrounded by trophies. The flat roof with its retaining balustrade was already being used as a viewing platform by the beginning of the 19th century. It can be accessed today via a stairway.
The attic below the roof bears the inscription JOSEPHO II. AVGVSTO ET MARIA THERESIA IMPERANTIB. ERECT. CI)I)CCLXXV. The way the date is written follows a usage from the early days of book printing: large numbers were represented by a combination of the letter C, the letter I and the ancient Roman apostrophe which resembled the modern round bracket. Thus M (=1000) was replaced by the formula C-I-apostrophe, and D (=500) by I-apostrophe. Leave a Comment
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 Inside Schonbrunn by Jmill42
Tours are fairly expensive, as far as museums go. There are two types, the 22 room tour and the 44 room tour.
22 = 8 Euro, 44 = 10 Euro Leave a Comment Directions: U4 to Schonbrunn
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