Visit the Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, the summer residence

Located far from the center of Vienna we find the Schönbrunn Palace, the former summer residence of the imperial family and one of the most visited places in Austria.

This imposing palace is one of the most important baroque buildings in Europe and together with its gardens it is a World Heritage Site.

Visiting the Schönbrunn Palace is an essential activity in Vienna even if you have to travel to the outskirts.

What to see at Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna

If you decide to visit the Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, you will find enough attractions to spend a large part of the day here.

Inside the palace you can find different rooms with unique decoration and furniture that will take you back to the imperial era and you will discover what life was like in the palace during those years.

The visit can be done with an audio guide in different languages, including Spanish.

During the visit you will be able to visit some of its rooms that are found after climbing the famous blue stairs that take you to the upper floor.

There you will find the apartments of Emperor Franz Joseph and Sissi, with 19th-century decoration, and also the apartments of Maria Teresa.

The contrast between the sumptuousness of the official rooms and the simplicity of Sissi’s rooms should be noted.

Official rooms where the emperors carried out their work are also visited. And don’t miss the Grand Gallery, one of the most spectacular places in the palace.

Visit the gardens of Schönbrunn Palace

The Schönbrunn Palace gardens are also a must.

Its extension is not as large as those of the Palace of Versailles in Paris, but thanks to them this palace is also known by the nickname of the Viennese Versailles.

In these gardens there are many interesting places to visit, but without a doubt the most important is La Glorieta, located just in front of the façade of the palace that overlooks the garden and from where you have the best views of it.

And from there, above the facade of the palace you have a great view of the city of Vienna. There is also a cafeteria with a terrace to enjoy.

In the rest of the gardens we will find fountains, labyrinths and walkways that will delight anyone who visits Schönbrunn Palace.

Inside there is also the Carriage Museum, which we recommend visiting, and a very curious Puppet Theater that entertains children and adults.

Brief history of Schönbrunn Palace

The origins of Schönbrunn Palace date back to the end of the 17th century when Emperor Leopold I commissioned a palace to be built for his son Joseph on the same spot where a small hunting palace had existed since 1559 but was later destroyed.

However, this palace fell into oblivion until Maria Teresa wanted to turn it into the summer palace of the Habsburgs and ordered its expansion, reform and decoration in the rococo style.

In 1805, Napoleon occupied Vienna and established his headquarters at Schönbrunn Palace. For this reason, he spent a lot of time in this place and today we can also visit what was his bedroom.

The character of summer residence of the Habsburgs was maintained until the end of the monarchy in 1918 after the abdication of Carlos I in the Blue Chinese Room of this palace.

If you want more information you can go to the official page of the Schönbrunn Palace.