Schönbrunn Palace, one of the largest palaces in Vienna, was the summer residence of the House of Habsburg. Complete with large gardens, ornate fountains, large green lawns and walkways, this beautiful UNESCO-listed area is a lovely place for nature lovers and history buffs. Even if you don’t enter the palace, you should definitely take a stroll in the gardens.
The House of Habsburg is a dynasty that ruled many parts of Europe. One of the members of the House of Habsburg, which means Falcon Castle, was Maximilian II, the Roman Emperor born in Vienna, who lived in the 16th century. Maximilian II was wandering around these lands when he saw a boiling water and drank it. He liked the taste and asked for a fountain to be built where the water was. He named the fountain Schönbrunn, which means beautiful fountain or beautiful spring. This fountain was the original source of the name Schönbrunn mentioned in this article.
Along the borders of Schönbrunn Palace you will see an incredibly beautiful landscape design. Maximilian II placed pheasants, roe deer and ducks in this area and wanted it to be designated as a hunting ground.
A woman’s hand was needed to complete the garden, and Maria Theresia, the only queen who ruled the House of Habsburg in the 18th century, stepped in and made sure that the construction of the Schönbrunn Botanical Garden was completed.
Schönbrunn Palace was built in the 17th century. It is possible to visit Schönbrunn Palace with nearly 1500 rooms with tours. The Imperial Tour, a 40-minute tour of the 20 most important rooms in the palace, is one of them. The Grand Tour, which includes forty rooms, is of course much longer. You can clearly see the splendor of the period with these tours. Armchairs, carpets, windows, chandeliers shed light on history in huge rooms. The walls and ceilings of some rooms are covered with paintings. The 10×43 meter room is worth seeing. The only problem is that photography is forbidden inside the palace.
Neptune Fountain
The fountain between Schönbrunn Palace and Gloriette is the Neptune Fountain. Overlooking Schönbrunn with its large pool and holding his trident, Neptune, the god of the sea, is Poseidon. Since it is located in the center of the large area where the palace is located, it is a perfect resting point during sightseeing.
Schönbrunn Palace Zoo
While you are in Schönbrunn, be sure to visit Schönbrunn Zoo, the oldest zoo in the world. There is one of the entrances right next to the Neptune Fountain. It is possible to closely examine many animal species.
Maze (Labyrinth)
Close to the area where Neptune’s Fountain is located, there is a maze to get you out of your nerves for a few minutes. It’s an area where you have to go through tall bushes that you can’t see through and try to find your way out. While adults can have fun here, there are also areas with shorter bushes for children. Entrance fee to the labyrinth is 5,50€.
Gloriette
Gloriette is the triumphal arch you see when you turn your back to the palace. Gloriette was the name given to buildings on high ground, sometimes resembling temples. It is 750 meters away from the palace and it is a bit tiring to reach this building because you walk uphill and the sloping area after the Neptune Fountain is a zigzag road. Especially on a sunny day. You can also go to the terrace of the Gloriette for a fee, 3,80€. We didn’t think it was necessary because you can see the palace and its gardens from below. While you’re up there, don’t leave without seeing the pool behind the building.
Schönbrunn Palm House
Perhaps the most important structure of the Schönbrunn gardens is the Schönbrunn Palm House. Built in the 19th century, this structure is actually a greenhouse. This structure, where hundreds of plants and many butterflies live, is made entirely of steel and glass. The Palm House, which contains nearly 4500 plant species, was first opened in 1883 during the reign of the Austrian Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph. The oldest plant in the structure is a 350-year-old olive tree, so if you are not interested in plants, you might as well not enter.
Since Schönbrunn Palace and its gardens are spread over a very large area, there is also a train service for those who do not want to walk. It is possible to visit the area by hop on hop off buses at 9 different points including important buildings such as Schönbrunn Palace, Palm House, Gloriette Hill. The train fare is 7€ valid between 10:00 – 18:00 throughout the day.
What is Schönbrunn entrance fee and visiting hours?
First of all, all the gardens of Schönbrunn Palace are free to visit. You can lie down, lie down, sit down and visit as you wish. Schönbrunn’s colorful, carpet-like garden is worth seeing from the top. If you want to join the palace tours, Imperial Tour costs 14,20€ and Grand Tour costs 17,50€. If you have a Vienna Pass card, you can enjoy the Grand Tour for free. Since it is a tour, you cannot enter the palaces as you wish, be sure to check the tour times on their websites. If you want to visit most of the places, you can take the Grand Tour, enter the labyrinth and go to the terrace of Gloriette with the Classic Pass worth 24€. If you are going with your spouse and children, check out the Family Pass.
It is also possible to buy tickets online. This way, you can avoid the queue to buy tickets, especially during peak periods. Don’t forget to print out the ticket you bought online. The visiting hours of Schönbrunn Palace are as follows. The palace opens at 08:00 in the morning and closes at 18:30 in the summer season and 17:30 in the winter season. It is open every day of the week, including holidays.
Where is Schönbrunn Palace and how to get there?
Located in the center of Vienna, the easiest way to get to the palace is by metro. You can easily reach the palace by taking the U4 metro line and getting off at the Schönbrunn stop with the same name as the palace. You can get there by tram with lines 10 and 58, and by bus with line 10A, provided that you get off at the same stop names.
