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Vienna: Schönbrunn Palace & Gardens Skip-the-Line Tour
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Schönbrunn Palace (Schloss Schönbrunn) is one of the most magnificent Baroque residences in Europe and Austria’s most visited attraction, with over 2 million visitors per year. This sumptuous summer residence of the Habsburgs, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996, covers a complex of 1,441 rooms surrounded by gardens occupying 160 hectares in the heart of Vienna.
Built in the late 17th century at the behest of Emperor Leopold I, the residence was originally conceived as an imperial hunting lodge. However, it was Empress Maria Theresia who transformed Schönbrunn into the magnificent palace we know today, making it the centre of Habsburg court life and the scene of events that marked European history. The name ‘Schönbrunn’ (beautiful spring) comes from a legend about the discovery of a particularly pure spring by Emperor Matthias during a hunting trip.
The castle is inextricably linked to the figures of Emperor Franz Joseph, who was born and died within these walls after a 68-year reign, and his famous bride Elisabeth of Bavaria (Sissi), whose romantic presence continues to enchant visitors. Here Mozart performed at the age of six before the imperial family, Napoleon established his headquarters during the Austrian campaigns, and in 1918 the abdication of the last Emperor Charles I was signed, marking the end of the Habsburg monarchy.
Today the palace offers visitors a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of the imperial court through the 40 rooms open to the public, furnished with original furniture and decorated with a magnificence that reflects the power and refined artistic taste of the Habsburgs. The French-style gardens, with the famous Gloriette, Neptune’s Fountain and mock Roman ruins, complete an unforgettable experience.
A visit to Schönbrunn Palace is a fascinating journey through Austrian history and the lives of kings, emperors and princesses.
The rooms at Schönbrunn that are open to the public include the private rooms of Franz Joseph and Sisi in the west wing of the palace, the state rooms in the central section, the imperial flats of Maria Theresa and Franz Stephan I and the flat in which Archduchess Sophie and Archduke Franz Karl, Franz Joseph’s parents, lived. The tour starts at the Blue Staircase in the west wing.
The tour of the castle begins with the Imperial Apartments of Emperor Franz Joseph, characterised by a sober elegance reflecting the austere character of the ruler. The Emperor’s bedroom is striking in its Spartan simplicity: a narrow iron bed, a simple washbasin and a few essential pieces of furniture testify to the military lifestyle Franz Joseph maintained throughout his life, waking up every morning at 4 a. m. to devote himself to the affairs of state.
Particularly impressive is the Emperor’s study, where the ruler spent most of his time reading and signing countless documents. The walls are decorated with portraits of his family members, including his beloved Elisabeth and his son Rudolf, whose tragic deaths deeply marked the emperor’s life. The original desk, with its numerous drawers and compartments, has remained exactly as the emperor left it.
The Empress Elisabeth Apartments offer an intimate insight into the life of the legendary Sissi. The empress’s private gymnasium, with its original rings, bars and gymnastic equipment, bears witness to her obsession with physical beauty and maintaining a perfect figure. Elisabeth devoted hours every day to exercise, an unusual practice for an empress of her time.
The dressing room shows the famous portrait of the empress with her loose hair, which reached down to the floor. Legend has it that the daily combing took two hours, during which Sissi had books on poetry and philosophy read to her. The private salon still retains the original rosewood furniture with mother-of-pearl inlays, where the empress received her ladies-in-waiting and devoted herself to writing her famous poetic diaries.
The Grand Gallery is the monumental heart of the palace, a 40-metre-long room decorated with illusionistic frescoes, enormous crystal chandeliers and gilded mirrors that multiply natural light. The sumptuous imperial banquets, diplomatic celebrations and the famous Congress of Vienna of 1814-1815, which redrew the borders of Europe after the Napoleonic wars, were held here.
The Circular Chinese Salon is one of the jewels of the palace, decorated with original 18th-century Chinese lacquer panels and precious oriental porcelain. Maria Theresa used this intimate room for private conversations with her chancellor Wenzel Anton von Kaunitz, away from court ceremonial. The Blue Chinese Salon acquired special historical significance when Emperor Charles I signed his abdication here in 1918, bringing more than six centuries of Habsburg rule to an end.
The Rich Room (Millionenzimmer) takes its name from the exorbitant cost of its decoration, made of Ceylon rosewood panels inlaid with 260 Persian and Indian miniatures framed in gold. This is the only surviving parade bed of the Viennese court, used for ceremonial occasions rather than sleeping.
The Maria Theresa Rooms include the Breakfast Room, where the imperial family gathered for private meals, decorated with portraits of the empress’s many daughters, including the ill-fated Marie Antoinette. The Salon des Lacques impresses with its authentic oriental decorative panels, while the Cabinet of Mirrors was the place where the young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, at the age of six, performed before the court in 1762, impressing the empress with his precocious talent.
Open year-round with free admission, the Schönbrunn Gardens are an ideal continuation of the palace’s opulence in the open air, adorned with an impressive number of fountains, statues, monuments, trees and flowers and the opulent Gloriette, a stately building housing a fine café.
Beloved by the Viennese, who have been able to take advantage of its elegant avenues for relaxing strolls through the greenery since 1779, the park is of exceptional historical and artistic value, so plan some time to spend outside before or after your visit to the palace.
Also part of the Schoenbrunn Gardens complex are the Imperial Carriage Museum, the Crown Prince Garden, the Orangery Garden, the Maze, the Palm House and the Desert House, which can only be visited by purchasing a separate ticket.
A famous attraction within the park is the Schönbrunn Zoo, considered the oldest zoo in the world and one of the best in Europe.
The palace that would later become Schönbrunn Palace was owned by the Habsburgs from 1569 onwards, when Maximilian II acquired an estate and residence in what is now the suburban area of Hietzing, at that time only countryside.
It was Ferdinand II’s wife, Eleonora Gonzaga, who had an aristocratic residence built in 1642; she is said to be responsible for the name Schönbrunn. Another woman, Maria Theresa, was responsible for the extension and transformation of Schönbrunn into the Habsburg summer residence. This was the heyday of the castle, which became the centre of political and court life.
After Maria Theresa’s death, the castle remained uninhabited for a few years, but experienced a period of splendour again during the reign of Franz Joseph.
With the fall of the monarchy, the castle passed into the ownership of the newly created Republic of Austria; today it is owned by a state-controlled private company.
In 1996, Schoenbrunn Palace was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Schönbrunn Palace is one of the most visited destinations in Austria. In order to avoid queues or worse still, a full house, it is advisable to purchase your ticket online beforehand by following questo link. This way, you can be sure of a stress-free visit to one of the most beautiful palaces in Europe!
The Schönbrunn panorama train is a comfortable and fascinating way to discover the huge imperial estate without tiring yourself out on the park’s paths. This sightseeing train takes you on an approximately 50-minute guided tour through the Baroque gardens, offering multilingual audio commentary on the history of the palace and its illustrious inhabitants.
Alternatively, you can visit the palace on a guided tour, perhaps in combination with other attractions in the city; for just a few Euros more, you will have the advantages of visiting Schönbrunn with an official guide at your disposal.
The Vienna City Card offers discounts on admission to Schönbrunn Palace, while it is included with the Vienna PASS.
Schönbrunn Palace is open 365 days a year, including all public holidays. Opening hours vary according to the season: from 1 April to 30 June the palace is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., while from 1 July to 31 August the hours are extended to 6 p.m. to accommodate the many summer visitors.
From 1 September to 2 November there is a return to 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and from 3 November to 26 March the winter opening hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.Last admission is allowed 45 minutes before closing time, so it is important to plan your arrival in advance to allow sufficient time for your visit.
The park’s gardens are open to the public free of charge from 6:30 a.m. until sunset, with hours varying seasonally. The Gloriette, the Labyrinth, the Crown Prince’s Garden and the Orangery Garden have separate opening hours, generally from 9 a.m. to 5-6 p.m. depending on the season.
A full visit of the Grand Tour of the château is recommended for 60-90 minutes, while a complete tour including the gardens, the Gloriette and other attractions may take afull day. It is recommended to buy tickets online in advance to avoid long queues, especially during the summer months and weekends.
Classical music concerts are regularly held at Schoenbrunn Palace Orangery. It is certainly an original way to visit this beautiful castle!
It couldn’t be easier to get to Schönbrunn Palace from the centre of Vienna: underground line U4, tram 10 and bus 10A stop right in front of the palace. You can’t miss a stop because you have to get off at… Schönbrunn!
Alternatively, tram line 10 and bus 10A stop at Schönbrunn station, both of which run regularly throughout the day. From Vienna Central Station (Hauptbahnhof) you can take the U1 line to Karlsplatz and then change to the U4 towards Hütteldorf, getting off at Schönbrunn after 4 stops.
Those arriving from the West Station (Wien Westbahnhof) can take the U3 line to Volkstheater, then change to tram line 60 to Schönbrunn. The total journey takes about 20 minutes. For those using a car, paid parking spaces are available in the surrounding area, but during peak season finding space can be difficult, making public transport the most practical option.
Schönbrunn Palace is located at Schönbrunner Schlossstraße 47 in the district of Hietzing in the west of Vienna.
City Card allow you to save on public transport and / or on the entrances to the main tourist attractions.
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