website618059.gif
from the garden you have a nice view of the Maria Hietzing church
but we prefer an old-fashioned fiaker, horse and driver included
inside many rooms have nicely decorated ceilings
this is the easterly Ehrenbronnen fountain
the courtyard sports two fountains
you can take the train for a tour to the gardens
Schönbrunn Palace
For hundreds of years the emperors of the Habsburg dynasty used Schloss Schönbrunn as their summer residence.
The Baroque palace sports 1441 rooms and a large garden stuffed with many interesting sculptures and fountains.
 
It all started in 1569 as a royal hunting and playing ground for the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian II.
A well named Schönbrunn provided fresh water for the thirsty hunters and their entourage.
 
Schönbrunn Palace as we know it today was built in the 1750's and 60's during the reign of empress Maria Theresa who received the estate as a wedding gift.
 
Since 1955 Schönbrunn is a museum and open to visitors. There are guided tours inside the palace that give you a touch of the quarters the royals had to live in.
 
Do not forget to explore the extensive and perfectly manicured gardens with Neptune's Fountain, the Obilisk, the Palm House, the Orangery and of course the original well that gave the place its name.
 
We visited Schönbrunn in May 2014.
website618054.jpg website618053.jpg website618052.jpg website618051.jpg website618050.jpg website618049.jpg website618048.jpg website618047.jpg website618046.jpg website618045.jpg website618044.jpg website618043.jpg website618002.gif website618041.gif website618040.gif
1
2
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
end
website618003.gif website618001.gif
the square in front of the palace features a set of lions
website618002.gif website618003.gif website618002.gif website618001.gif
and a set of peculiar hybrids
3
website618003.gif website618002.gif website618001.gif website618003.gif website618002.gif website618001.gif website618003.gif website618002.gif website618001.gif
other rooms show off the old military costumes
website618003.gif website618002.gif website618001.gif website618003.gif website618002.gif website618001.gif website618003.gif website618002.gif website618001.gif
and soon we are on our way
website618003.gif website618002.gif website618001.gif website618003.gif website618002.gif website618001.gif website618003.gif website618002.gif website618001.gif website618003.gif website618002.gif website618001.gif
the 28 meters high Palm House was constructed in 1881 and has 3 different climatic zones
website618013.jpg website618012.jpg website618011.jpg website618010.jpg
the Obilisk Fountain from 1777 with fake hieroglyphs. It would be another 50 years before hieroglyphs were deciphered
Neptune holds on to his trident atop of the Neptune Fountain, constructed in the 1770's
a view of the paace's backside, also impressive
13
14
15
16
website618003.gif website618002.gif website618001.gif website618003.gif website618002.gif website618001.gif website618003.gif website618002.gif website618001.gif
the sun is shining and warm, so why not take a quick nap?
website618003.gif website618002.gif website618001.gif