Schönbrunn Palace

Schönbrunn Palace, the imperial residence in Vienna, is a magnificent example of Austrian Baroque.

Its construction lasted from 1696 to 1713. The place on which it stands, in the XIV century belonged to the Kloisterneuburg monastery, at the end of the XVI century passed into the possession of the Habsburgs. Schönbrunn Palace is built on the ruins of a castle destroyed during the siege of Vienna by the Turks. The architect of the project is Johann Bernard Fischer von Erlach. A key moment in the history of the palace was the transfer of it from Charles VI to his daughter, Empress Maria Theresa. She admired the palace. At her request, in 1742-1743, a large-scale reconstruction of the palace and garden took place, during which Schönbrunn acquired its modern appearance. At the request of the Empress, a theater was added to the building, and at the will of her husband, a zoo was created. After their death, the palace became only a summer residence.

A new milestone in the life of Schönbrunn was opened by Emperor Franz Joseph I, who was born here and made the palace his residence. The castle was damaged during World War II but was restored. It is now open to tourists. The castle has 1,441 rooms, of which only 40 are open to the public and 190 are rented out to private individuals.