Criterion (iv): The Palace and Gardens of Schönbrunn are exceptional by virtue of the evidence that they preserve of modifications over several centuries that vividly illustrate the tastes, interests, and aspirations of successive Habsburg monarchs.
Schönbrunn Palace contains an astonishing 1,441 rooms, but fewer than 50 are open to the public. Highlights include the dazzling Millions Room, clad in rare rosewood and Indo-Persian miniatures, and the Grand Gallery, where golden stuccoes and chandeliers once hosted state banquets, concerts, and imperial ceremonies.
Beneath the palace lies a hidden network of tunnels and chambers that once served as the backbone of palace life. From servants' quarters to storage rooms, these underground passages offer a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes workings of the royal household.
The palace was built at the end of the 17th century as a summer residence for the emperors of the Habsburg Empire. Marie Antoinette, Napoleon and Empress Elizabeth (better known as Sisi) have all lived at Schloss Schönbrunn at some point.
[128][129] Her last words were "Pardon me sir, I meant not to do it", to Henri Sanson the executioner, whose foot she had accidentally stepped on after climbing the scaffold. Her body was thrown into an unmarked grave in the Madeleine cemetery, rue d'Anjou, (which was closed the following year).
The overall site and complex of Schönbrunn is owned by the Republic of Austria, and the operating company's contract with the state is based on a usufructuary right.
Once owned by the Habsburg Monarchy and used as a summer residence, much of this stunning masterpiece can still be viewed in its original condition, with rooms that have been authentically furnished.
When Napoleon occupied Vienna in 1805 and again in 1809 he chose Schönbrunn as his headquarters and is very likely to have used this room as his bedroom. Subsequently it became known as the Napoleon Room.
The name "Schönbrunn" was mentioned for the first time. Meaning "Beautiful Spring", the name has its roots in an artesian well, where people of the court got their water.
The Schönbrunn Palace as well as the Albertina, were both severely damaged during air raids. When the opera house was hit during the very last air raid on March 12th, 1945, also the nearby building called Philipphof was completely destroyed.
You can enter the Palace Park free of charge during opening hours. If you wish to visit to the Schönbrunn special attractions, such as the Privy Garden, the Orangery Garden or the Maze as well as the Zoo, the Palm House and the Desert House you need to purchase individual admission tickets.
The Schönbrunn Palace in its present form was built and remodelled during the 1740–1750s during the reign of empress Maria Theresa who received the estate as a wedding gift. Franz I commissioned the redecoration of the palace exterior in the neoclassical style as it appears today.
In partnership with Austria Trend Hotels, Schönbrunn Palace gives you the chance to stay overnight in one of the most famous treasures of Austria's cultural heritage.
From A as in anteater to Z as in zebra: A visit to the Schönbrunn Zoo is a tour through every continent in the fascinating world of animals. See giant pandas, Siberian tigers, orangutans, and elephants, or immerse yourself in the Amazon and experience the tropical rain forest.
The last admission to the palace is around 45 minutes before closing hours. When is the best time to visit the Schonbrunn Palace? April, May, September, and October are the best months to visit the Schonbrunn Palace. The weather is pleasant.
Some say that Emperor Joseph II issued a decree stipulating that Schönbrunn Palace and all official buildings in the empire were to be painted yellow ochre in order to provide financial support for the Bohemian ochre mines owned by the Habsburg family but the fact is, however, no significant changes to the palace were ...
When the Habsburg Empire was at its height, every noble family worth its blue blood was putting up a Baroque or neo-Classical palace to glorify their name. Nowadays there are so many Vienna palaces that you'll find one on every corner (almost).
“Let them eat cake” is the most famous quote attributed to Marie-Antoinette, the queen of France during the French Revolution. As the story goes, it was the queen's response upon being told that her starving peasant subjects had no bread.
People believed the “let them eat cake” myth because they wanted to believe it. Marie Antoinette was not entirely innocent in her lifetime; in fact, she was guilty of many extravagances. But she was a much more complex character than the cliché suggests.
Nonetheless, she had four biological children with her notoriously weak husband King Louis XVI, before facing her execution in 1793. They were: Marie Thérèse Charlotte, born on December 9, 1778, Louis Joseph Xavier François, born in 1781, Louis XVII, born in March 1785, and Sophie Hélène Béatrix, born in July 1786.
