Saturday, October 13, 2012

Palaces: Schönbrunn Palace and Gardens - Vienna, Austria


Interesting Places I've Photographed
Schönbrunn Palace and Gardens
Vienna, Austria
Topic: Palaces


GPS: N48° 11.079; E016° 18.727

Quick Description: 

The Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna was the residence of the Habsburgs and is now a World Heritage Site.

Long Description:

Schönbrunn Palace is an important cultural monument in Vienna. It was owned by the Habsburg dynasty since Emperor Maximilian II took the site in 1569. Originally hunting lodge, the Hapsburgs eventually converted the building into an extravagant palace that was used as the summer residence for the family. With the collapse of the Hapsburg Empire after World War I, in 1918, ownership was passed to the of the Republic of Austria.

The Schönbrunn fell was overrun by Turkish troops during the siege of Vienna. It was subsequently rebuilt to a designed by Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. In 1728, Emperor Charles VI gave the palace to his daughter, Maria Theresa.

From 1742 to 1743, the chapel, the blue stairs and the Palace Theater were added. The gardens were laid out in the 1770s. The palace was refurbished in 1815 giving it the appearance it you see today. The palace and its grounds form a unit. The Baroque layout of the gardens has survived more or less intact.

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