ST: Schonbrunn Palace -- Top 10 Intriguing Facts the Public Doesn't Know

Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna

Top 10 Intriguing Facts about Schonbrunn Palace

1. It was in the beginning only a Hunting Lodge

Emperor Leopold l commissioned Schönbrunn Palace 1696. However, the real history of this palace goes back to the fourteen century. At that time period, the palace had a different name, Katterburg, and was regularly used as no more than a hunting lodge.

Throughout the Turkish sieges the "hunting lodge" was almost destroyed, consequently a new structure, the one standing now, was erected in 1696. But, the gardens and prevailing stunning quality was attributed to Empress Maria Theresa, one responsible for markedly expanding it from 1743 to 1780.

2. Public Park from 1779

The luxurious formal gardens together with parkland were opened to everyone in 1779, becoming an instant popular site for both locals and tourists alike.

3. Marie Antoinette's Birthplace

She was born as Austria's archduchess and spent her summers in this palace.

4. 1441 Rooms

Do you wonder how large Schönbrunn actually is, it’s huge, with 1,441 rooms, of which just 45 can be accessed by the public. In comparison, the notable Versailles has far more: 2300 rooms.

5. Schönbrunn Translates to “beautiful well”

Schönbrunn means literally “beautiful well”. It was given this name after the well from where the court was getting their water.

6. A UNESCO Site

Schonbrunn palace and gardens demonstrate the style common with Habsburg monarchs, and the majority of it still remains as if time froze in the 17th century. That's why both the palace and gardens have been listed to the UNESCO World Heritage enrollment in 1996.

7. The Most Renowned Resident was Murdered

Schönbrunn Palace sports a lengthy line of residents. But Empress Elisabeth, or Sisi, happens to its most favorite resident. Though the Austrian citizens loved Sisi, she was one of history's most miserable royals. Why? She hated the arrogant, formal Habsburg court proceedings, and chose to spend a lot of her time far from Vienna as well as her husband, Emperor Franz Joseph. She met her demise tragically via the hands of a Geneva's anarchist.

8. World's Longest Baroque Orangery

The orangery is at least 189 meters in length, making it the longest Baroque orangery today in the world, even longer than Versailles,' which is an easy runner up.

9. Furnishings are Genuine

Usually while you tour any historic location, the furnishings are only reproductions. But not here, at Schönbrunn Palace. The Habsburgs customized the majority of the Schonbrunn palace interior and it remains as it was since its abandonment in 1918.

10. Rococo Style

The palace's entire design scheme is Rococo, or known as Late Baroque

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Additional Information

Like several of its previous masters, the baroque-style garden at Schönbrunn Palace was created as a show of ambition and power to shame Versailles.' Maria Teresa who became in 1740 the Holy Roman Empire's newest ruler at the tender age of 23, was obviously yet too young and too pretty for all the responsibilities placed upon her shoulders. Already bearing a number of notable titles like Archduchess of Austria and Queen of Hungary, she began unfortunately on a wrong and unfair foot, ruling a faltering Empire along with her husband.

Both Bchönbrunn's palace and garden got constructed throughout and following a number of failed wars with the victorious Frederick of Prussia. In 1744, actual work was initiated on the palace and later, in 1753, on the park. Its color is called "Vienna Yellow." The management of the empire as well as mothering sixteen children, left Maria thicker, stubborn, and defiant.

Parterres and other related additions were done during the 1750s. Her French husband, who was credited for establishing both the botanical and zoological gardens at Schönbrunn, passed away in 1765. The zoo, or Tiergarten, is often characterized as the world's first, despite not being the first. It has an overall baroque outline and a nice atmosphere. The hilltop Gloriette that lends the gorgeous garden its Baroque-style focus, was finished in 1775.

In 1778, an excellent Roman Ruin was built as a sort of monument to remember the recovery after disaster; it represents Carthage after having been defeated by Rome. The parkland was opened first to the general public in 1779. Schönbrunn's scale is breathtaking. Several of the illustrations, exhibiting the grand garden from the angle of the Gloriette, demonstrate an absence of charm, despite the garden appearing somewhat better from the palace's balcony.

The gradual spread of fashion barely justifies the arrival of a late Baroque garden in the chronology: Maria who was strict in keeping order utilized this style as a show to prove her natural ability to maintain order firmly. Later, Schönbrunn Palace was chosen for Napoleon's headquarters. By the year 1918, the last surviving Habsburg Emperor stepped down at Schönbrunn. Just taking a reflective walk around the garden, anyone could realize why the Empire ended up in ruins. Was it excessive pride? Winston Churchill himself compared Vienna with no empire to a wild elephant wandering in a backyard indeed has a unique resonance at Schonbrunn, and can be seen as the backyard. Joseph ll opened the grounds to the public in the late 18th-century.