Schönbrunn Palace

Vienna, Austria
Recommended Visit Time Required: 2 hours minimum
Underground Stop: U4, Schonbrunn

Schonbrunn Palace

 

The 1,441-room Schönbrunn Palace was designed for the Habsburgs.  It was built between 1696 and 1712 at the request of Emperor Leopold I for his son, Joseph I.  Leopold envisioned a palace whose grandeur would surpass that of Versailles.  However, Austria's treasury, drained by the cost of wars, would not support the ambitious undertaking, and the original plans were never carried out.

The Gloriette

I arrived too late in the day to tour the palace, and I wished I had come sooner so I could thoroughly enjoy the gardens. I had never seen a garden so big- it was probably ten times, or more, the size of the palace.  

Map of the Gardens

The Obelisk Fountain

Roman Ruin