Visiting Vienna

In a city of top tourist attractions, Schloss Schönbrunn — the summer palace — is the undisputed queen of the sightseeing tours and a UNESCO world heritage site to boot.

Ostensibly, Schönbrunn consists of a palace and grounds, but these hide a number of independent attractions worthy of a visit in their own right. Here a brief introduction to the main ones…

The palace itself

In its current form, the palace dates back to the 1740s, though it’s undergone various extensions and rebuilding work since. The site itself was a hunting park and lodge well before that, but suffered at the hands of Turkish invaders in 1683. That was the kind of thing homeowners had to contend with back then.

The palace’s glory years were under Empress Maria Theresia in the 18th century, and Emperor Franz Joseph in the latter part of the 19th century. Both made Schönbrunn their residence of choice. Another notable occupier (in more than one sense of the word) was Napoleon.

Once a summer residence out in the country, the growth of the city now means Schönbrunn represents an oasis of (relative) architectural and parkland tranquility in the midst of 21st century Vienna.

The gardens

The large park and gardens are kept in immaculate condition by the Federal authorities and extend to over a square kilometer of tree-lined avenues, lawns, woods and flowerbeds. They’ve been open to the public since 1779 and are popular with joggers and walkers seeking a bit of green space among the apartment blocks and shopping centers of modern Vienna.

Hidden away within the grounds are various architectural delights, such as lakes and fountains, fake ruins, statues, and greenhouses. The parks also house various birds and animals; you can feed the red squirrels and blue tits from your hand if you catch them at a hungry moment.

The Gloriette

A large hill stretches behind the palace, and at the crest is the Gloriette. Legend has it that it was built to ensure a nice view from the windows of the main palace. Indeed, it’s mostly facade, with just enough interior space to house a cafe.

The roman ruins

Aristocrats with more money than sense often fell victim to various fashions and trends. One of these was to have classical ruins in your garden. Schönbrunn’s “Roman ruins” were purpose-built in 1778.

The carriage museum

A mammoth collection of carriages, sedan chairs and other modes of transport used by the Imperial family.

The Christmas market

The open square in front of the palace is an ideal venue for a Christmas market, and Schönbrunn’s version is one of Vienna’s very best. The stands form a wide circle around a towering Christmas tree, and the focus is on arts and crafts and typical Winter delicacies. Perhaps the most tasteful of the city’s Christmas markets and certainly one of the busiest.

The palm and desert houses

The palm house is a huge iron and glass construction dating back to 1882. It contains three climatic zones featuring Mediterranean, tropical and sub-tropical plant communities. The desert house is a similar construction, first built some 20-odd years later and now housing a collection of cacti and other succulents.

The zoo

Schönbrunn zoo is the oldest working zoo in the world, and was first established by Emperor Franz Stephan in the 1750s. Extensive refurbishment and renovation in recent years means it now meets the demands of a modern zoo.

The zoo houses a pair of Giant Pandas, plus the usual array of elephants, giraffes, big cats and more, and is Vienna’s second-most popular attraction after the palace itself.

Watch this space for more detailed information on all the above…

Address: Schloß Schönbrunn, 1130 Vienna
Website: http://www.schoenbrunn.at/ (with an English version)

This entry is filed under Schönbrunn.