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Schönbrunn Palace

The Schönbrunn Palace was designed for the Hapsburgs by the masters of the Baroque style, the von Erlachs. The Palace was built between 1696 and 1712 at the request of Emperor Leopold I for his son, Joseph I.

Leopold wanted a palace with grandeur beyond that of Versailles. But incredibly the treasury of Austria had been drained by wars and could not support the cost of the undertaking, so the plans were never carried out.

When Maria Theresa became empress, she changed the original plans, and Schönbrunn today is mostly as she designed it.

Schönbrunn was the great summer palace during Maria Theresa's 40 year reign and was the scene of wonderful ceremonial balls, lavish banquets, and fabulous receptions. Mozart performed in the Hall of Mirrors at the early age of 6 before Maria Theresa and her court.

Franz Joseph was born within the palace's walls. Karl I, the last of the Hapsburg rulers, signed a document here on November 11, 1918, renouncing his participation in affairs of state.

A marble summerhouse topped by a stone canopy with an imperial eagle, the Gloriette embellishes the palace's Imperial Gardens. A collection of marble statues and fountains, which date from as far back as the late 18th century, appear in the gardens. Adria van Steckhoven laid out the park, which contains many fountains and heroic statues, often depicting Greek mythological characters.