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.

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Details

Founded: 1740
Category: Palaces, manors and town halls in Austria

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4.7/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Dean Cecconi (2 months ago)
Very informative audio guide tour. Be sure to get tickets early for the time you want or you might have to wait for a time slot. It was a cold rainy day in January when I went so I didn't spend much time in the gardens. Loved the grand tour of the palace. Lots of taxis out front. No photos in the building.
Elisa Winstanley (2 months ago)
We came on spec and did not buy a ticket to the palace. But the grounds were free to enter. We spent a few hours walking around the gardens and paid to enter the Palm House. The gardens were lovely and serene to walk through and I can imagine it would be beautiful in the summer when the flowers are in bloom!! There was a Christmas market by the front which was great to wander round!
Alessio Vicario (3 months ago)
Simply THE place to visit in Vienna! It is fair to say that this is the Versailles of Vienna. The rooms inside are definitely worth a visit, as you can have a sneak peak into the emperor life. The gardens are also amazing! Unluckily I visit them in the winter, but during spring and summer they are even more amazing with flowers and colours everywhere.
Kirsten van der Merwe (3 months ago)
This is a very beautiful castle with fantastic gardens. You will need several hours to spend time here and will definitely be rewarded for photography efforts as there is very nice contrast to use. The souvenir shop was one of the better ones and had several unique items to purchase. Just be prepared, these places, including this one, definitely aren't cheap with merchandise. It is still a place worthwhile to visit, and I recommend it to others.
Long Kiu Hung (4 months ago)
The palace was amazing. There was a handheld small device which provides audio guide throughout your tour in the palace and tells you interesting stories of the royals who once lived there. I got the imperial tour which let me toured through most of the rooms but I regret not getting the full tour because the palace was truly magnificent and I would love to see more of it. I visited the palace on 1st November, which is also a Viennese public holiday - All Saints’ Day. The waiting for 3 hours for me but crowd regulation was really well done. When it was my turn to go in it wasn’t crowded and I actually had the space and time to enjoy every bits of the palace. So try to get tickets prior to arrival and you will not have to wait. But even if you have to wait there is no worry as you can wander around the garden of the palace like I did (where I took the pictures attached) and walking about the small let me oversee the entire Vienna. The scenery and gardening was amazing. There was a small castle, which once was the dining of the royals, on the top of the hill and has now been turned into a coffee shop and an observatory. But be noted that you can only go all the way up to the observatory if you have bought the most expensive ticket type. I did not get that so I missed the opportunity to go up. Overall, I would say this is a must-go when visiting Vienna for the first time. You learn a lot about the local history and can enjoy amazing view. :)
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