Schönbrunn Palace

Schönbrunn is the biggest palace and one of the most important and most visited cultural assets of Austria. Together with its garden UNESCO catalogued the Schönbrunn Palace on the World Heritage List as a remarkable Baroque ensemble and example of synthesis of the arts.

Emperor Leopold I commissioned Schönbrunn palace at the end of the 17th century as a palatial hunting lodge and residence for the heir to the throne and his son Joseph I. On the side of the old imperial cháteau de plaisance dating from 1643 a splendid edifice was to arise.

Half a century later under Maria Theresa Schönbrunn Palace was to become the imperial summer residence and also the cultural and political focus of the Habsburg’s empire.

Duration: depending on the tour (Imperial, Highlight, Grand) 30–60 min.