Schloss Schönbrunn: Ancient palace became a popular tourist destination
Austria | April 7, 2010 | 1 CommentBy becoming one of the best-known attractions of Vienna, the Schloss Schönbrunn is actually a palace that attracts millions of tourists from around the country and the globe. This attraction in Austria is popularly known as the Schonbrunn Palace, which is a former residence in Vienna. Being among the important cultural monuments in Austria, the Schloss Schonbrunn since 1960s has become one of the major tourist attractions. The palace and the gardens of this site demonstrate the interests, tastes, and objectives of following Habsburg monarchs.
The Palace offers an excellent insight of the imperial life of the baroque period in Vienna. It has been an imperial home and also the seat of generations of Habsburg right from the year 1569. Dating back to its history, the palace in the year 1569 was purchased by the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian II. It was during that time a big floodplain of the Wien river that could be found under a hill. Later, the former owner in the year 1548 had raised a mansion that was called as the Katterburg, situated between the Meidling and the Hietzing. The emperor after buying the area and building the mansion, ordered to fence and incorporate game like ducks, pheasants, deer, and boar just to serve as the recreational hunting ground of the court.
In fact, in a tiny and separate area, exotic birds were also kept to increase the beauty of the place, which includes turkeys and peafowl. With these attractive plans, fishponds were also included. The meaning of Schonbrunn is beautiful spring that suits it entirely. The palace of Schloss Schönbrunn has roots in an artesian well that serves its water to the court. Later, after a century, the area was then used as a hunting and recreation ground. People like Eleonore Gonzaga, who was a big fan of hunting, spent most of the time at this area. Well, there is a big history that goes back to Eleonore Gonzaga, making the area utmost important.
After a long time, Emperor Leopold I arranged an architect named Johann Bernhard Fischer Von Erlach, who designed a new palace. With the contemporary ideas, he made more realistic buildings by trying to top its role model Versailles. The construction work began in the year 1696 and right after 3 years, the newly built part from middle of the palace was gleaming with the first festivities that were held. Once this estate was gifted to Maria Theresa of Austria by her father, she turned it into an imperial summer residence. Still, some of the parts of the first palace are surviving from that century.
The palace has beautifully dramatized gardens that at first glance fascinate every tourist. The sculpted garden space is breathtaking that lies between the palace and the Neptune Well. This garden is called as the Great Parterre. There is a French garden that was planned by Jean Trehet in the year 1695. The French garden covers a vast area and comprised of a maze among others. To get the best of attractions, you should enter the complex. The Tiergarten is the oldest still surviving zoo in the world that was founded in the year 1752. Apart from this, the orangerie was erected during the year 1755. Besides this, a palm house, English garden style at the western parts of the palace that were made between 1828 to 1852, a botanical garden, and many other fascinating attractions.
The palace includes 32 sculptures that are lining the Great Parterre and represents the deities and virtues. The axis points of the garden at 60 metres higher hill, you can see the magnificence of the Gloriette structure that is crowned since the year 1775. As the entire site is a renowned tourist destination, the Gloriette now houses a café to serve the visitors with the view of the entire city. Schonbrunn also boasts Roman Ruin that are originally known as the Ruin of Carthage that was designed in 1778 by architect Johann Ferdinand Hetzendorf von Hohenberg.
With its picturesque ruins, romantic moments, amazing scenery of the gardens, excellent architectural works, and plenty of attractive and breathtaking sights in the area, the Schloss Schonbrunn is a galaxy full of attractions all around. The site is also featured in various movies to make people aware of its beauty and importance and of course, to take a good shot. Being a popular tourist destination, you can see a long queue of visitors for entrance. You can buy a ticket to enter the palace from the official website in advance. There are various tours available that will help you to explore the place entirely and perfectly.
Besides tours, you can also enjoy various classical concerts that feature the music of W. A. Mozart. Enjoy his contemporaries in the stunning halls, Schlosstheater, or at Orangerie. With your tickets, as per conditions, you will get dinner, tour, concert,and cruise, which you need to book in advance. While visiting here, do not miss a single attraction of views of the site whether it is the garden, the palace, or any other attractions in Schloss Schönbrunn.
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I thought that Schonbrunn was one of the best castles I visited in Europe. Somehow it is a castle that offers a little of everything – fine gardens, nice views, great furnishings and visually striking in itself.
.-= Mark H´s last blog ..Cote dAzur Villas France =-.