First created 21 Aug 2012. Version 1.0 - 28 Aug 2012. Jerry Tse. London.

Schonbrunn

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The Hapsburg Palace in Vienna

Female sphinx guards the approach to the entrance of the palace.

The Approach

The main gate to the palace. The original two headed Hapsburgs eagles were replaced by two Napoleon’s eagles.

The main gate

The main entrance façade of the palace.

The facade

Decorations on the main façade.

The facade

One of the two fountains on the forecourt.

The forecourt

East Wing

The Blue Chinese Salon reflects the 18C fashion for Chinoiserie. It was in this room in 1918, Karl I declared the end of the Habsburgs monarchy.

Blue Chinese Salon

The wall paper in the Blue Chinese Salon.

Blue Chinese Salon

The Vieus-Laque room is decorated with Japanese lacquer panels set into dark brown walnut.

Vieus-Laque Room

During the French occupations of Vienna in 1805 and 1809, Napoleon chose the palace as his residence. He also married to Marie Louise, the daughter of Emperor Franz I.

Napoleon Room

Only the chandelier, wall bracket and the clock are pieces of genuine Meissen porcelain, in the Porcelain room.

Porcelain Room

The Porcelain room.

Porcelain Room

It is said the in 1767 Empress Maria Theresa paid over a million gulden to decorate this room in Rococo style.

Million Gulden Room

Set into the wall panelling of Central American rosewood are antique Persian miniatures of the court life of the Indian Mogul empire in the 16C and 17C.

Million Gulden Room

The Gobelin Salon with its wall covered with 17C Gobelin tapestries.

Gobelin Room

State Rooms

The Ceremonial Hall was mainly used for celebrating family occasions, such as weddings etc.

Ceremonial Hall

The Equestrian Room derived its name from the paintings in the room, commissioned by Maria Theresa.

Equestrian Room

The Round Chinese Room used by Maria Theresa to discuss state affairs with her advisers.

The Round Chinese Room

This was the magnificent centrepiece of the palace for state occasions, with high mirrors.

The Great Gallery

West Wing

Many rooms in the West Wing were used as family rooms by Emperor Franz Joseph I and Queen Elisaberh.

This was the study of Emperor Franz Joseph I. He spent many hours here managing the affairs of the empire.

Franz Joseph Study

The Mirror Room used for public audiences. It was here that the infant Mozart gave his first concert at the age of six.

The Mirror Room

The Bergl Rooms were designed by the painter Johann Wenzl Bergl. In many of the rooms facing the garden on the ground floor he painted imaginative frescoes of Indian landscape for Empress Maria Theresa.

Bergl Rooms

Bergl Rooms

The oldest Baroque theatre in Vienna provided a stage for many performances by the royal families and performances by the famous musicians, like Haydn and Mozart. The theatre is a separate building with its entrance from the palace forecourt.

Palace Theatre

The Garden

The garden was modelled on Versailles.

The garden

The colonnaded Gloriette was built on the crest of the rise in 1775, commission by Joseph II and Maria Theresa. It was dedicated as a Monument to Just War. It was used as a dining hall as well as a breakfast room.

Gloriette

The iron pavilion in the ‘Crown Prince’s Garden’.

Iron pavalion

The avenue leading to the Obelisk and Cascade

The obelisk

The Obelisk and Cascade

The obelisk

The garden

The highlights of the garden the Gloriette and the Neptune Fountain.

Highlights

The Neptune Fountain with its snow white marble sculptures.

Neptune Fountain

The Neptune Fountain with its seahorse and triton.

Neptune Fountain

Thetis kneels before Neptune begging his help for her son Achilles on his voyage to Troy.

Neptune Fountain

The Palm House was completed in 1882.

Palm house

The Naiad Fountain.

Naiad Fountain

The Naiad Fountain.

Naiad Fountain

Unusually, the palace garden includes a zoo, commissioned in 1752 by Maria Theresa.

The Zoo

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The End

Music – My Love Song Should Be a Waltz performed by Andre Rieu.