The palace and gardens of Schönbrunn, in Vienna, Austria,
are testament to the immense wealth and power of the Habsburg emperors during
the centuries when they ruled over a vast central European empire.
The palace, built in the Baroque style, dates from the late
17th century although its construction was a long drawn-out process
that was not completed until the 19th century. It began as a hunting
lodge but evolved into a magnificent edifice containing more than 1400 rooms. These
are sumptuously decorated and furnished.
The grounds of the palace contain a number of other
magnificent structures including a huge orangery and a “Roman ruin”.
The park at Schönbrunn is as impressive as the palace, being
more than a square kilometre in size. The Baroque style gardens are much as
they were during the reign of Empress Maria Theresa (1717-80), including
fountains, lakes and statues. The grounds are home to the Schönbrunn zoo,
founded in 1752 and the oldest zoo still in existence in Europe.
The grounds were opened to the public in 1769 and have been
a popular destination for local and foreign visitors ever since.
The palace became the property of the Austrian government
when the monarchy fell in 1918, and the whole complex has been carefully
preserved and maintained. It now receives more than two million visitors a
year.
Schönbrunn has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1996.
© John Welford
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