The Spectacular Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna

You should not miss the Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna. Though it is pretty far from the city center, I still walked there from the city center. It took me almost an hour to get there, with a few stops for photo ops.

Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna
The spectacular Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna (Austria).

As soon as I entered the gate, my jaw dropped at its regal presence. The facade doesn’t look like it’s another Baroque building scattered around the city, but it really has this aura of power and prominence of past and present.

Schloss Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna Austria
The facade of the palace is already an indication of its power and prominence.

Can you go inside the Palace?

Yes, you can. Unfortunately, I arrived 30 minutes before closing time. So I decided to stroll the palace grounds and its gardens which closed later. I think it’s the best time to visit Schonbrunn Palace because there were only very few people left.

Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna Austria
The spectacular Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna (Austria).

The Palace Grounds and Gardens

You have to know that the palace grounds are far and wide.

Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna (Austria).
The spectacular Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna (Austria).

It took me three hours to go around parts of the palace, and its gardens before the guard showed up and told everyone to keep out.

Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna (Austria).
The spectacular Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna (Austria).

The gardens are well-manicured, and picking or getting near the flowers is prohibited.

Schloss Schönbrunn Vienna Austria
Schloss Schönbrunn in Vienna has amazing gardens and baroque architecture.

The tall hedges are so photogenic because they’re wonderfully cut!

Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna (Austria).
These tall hedges at Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna (Austria) are amazing!

The 200-hectare park surrounding the palace has been laid out in Baroque style since the 18th century. It still retains its original proportions.

Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna (Austria).
Schloss Schonbrunn in Vienna, Austria.

So does the Great Parterre – the small green patches of garden that contain some 32 different sculptures.

Gardens of Schloss Vienna Austria
Vienna is an amazing, clean city.

The Neptune Fountain literally crowns it at the far end of the palace ground. Relax and admire the marbled Neptune Fountain. Can you find him and his son Achilles?

Neptune Fountain Schloss Vienna Garden
The Neptune Fountain at the palace garden.

Behind the fountain is a hill with the wonderful Classical Gloriette, constructed in 1775. I was not able to visit it because I was already exhausted from walking.

Classical Gloriette Schloss Vienna
The Classical Gloriette sits on top of the hill at the end of the massive garden.

Schonbrunn Palace has, believe it or not, 1,441 rooms! Oh, dear! How long would it take to visit all these rooms?

Schloss Vienna Austria Hotel Hostel
Things to do in Vienna (Austria).

Looking at the palace from all angles, there’s no doubt the Habsburg rulers had their own extravagant ways.

Things to do in Vienna Austria Hotel Hostel
Things to do in Vienna (Austria).

Franz Joseph, the longest-reigning emperor of Austria, was born in this palace. He is probably the only ruler in the Habsburg dynasty to have stayed for long in it. It is believed that most of his youth and old age was spent here until he died at 86.

Hostel Hotel Vienna (Austria).
Things to do in Vienna (Austria).

After the Habsburg dynasty collapsed, the palace served as a headquarters for the British Military Garrison stationed in Vienna.

Hotel Hostel Vienna Austria
Things to do in Vienna (Austria).

Although it has long lost that status, it is still used for high-profile political meetings between world leaders.

Garden Schloss Vienna Austria
If you don’t plan to go inside the palace, go there in the afternoon when the crowd left.

Do you know that the world’s oldest zoo is on the grounds of Schonbrunn Palace? It was built in 1752 and is home to more than 750 species.

Things to do in Vienna Austria
Yes, you can take one of these horse carriages. (Vienna, Austria).

Other places to see around the palace are pavilions, Roman ruins, Sundial House, and the Palm House. And as you might have guessed – yes, I couldn’t go to these places. 🙁

Where to stay in Vienna Austria
It’s best if you visit in the afternoon (Vienna, Austria).

I learned that inside the palace, the Great Gallery is grand and spacious, replete with exquisite art shows. It was first used as a courtroom, only to be used as a ballroom from the 18th century onwards.

Gardens at Schloss Schönbrun Vienna
The gardens are well-maintained and look fabulous!

While the Great Gallery was for public gatherings, the Hall of Ceremonies served as a place for family functions such as birthdays, name days, weddings, and everything private.

Hotel Hostel Vienna
The palace will never fail to amaze you!

Hostel / Hotel in Vienna

I stayed at a&o Wien Hauptbahnhof, just 5 minutes walk from Vienna Central Train Station. You can book it via Booking.comHostelWorld, and Expedia

I intended to stay here because I had an early train going to Bratislava. The room I was assigned was very spacious, and bunk beds were arranged comfortably. The staff members are friendly, and the hostel itself is clean. Since it’s close to the station, there are cafes and grocery stores in the area, and very accessible to public transport. If you’re not on a budget, here are some hotels where you can stay.

KeepCalmAndWander

A wanderer. A frustrated photographer. Hiker. Lover. Half extrovert, half introvert. Solo traveler.

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