Born on 13 May 1717 in Vienna, Archduchess Maria Theresa was one of the most important personalities of the Habsburg family. Her parents were the Roman-German emperor Charles VI and Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel.
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Schönbrunn Palace, Austria
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The Great Parterre lying like a colourful carpet in front of the garden façade of the palace © Julius Silver, Schloß Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebges.m.b.H.
Schönbrunn Palace
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Aerial view of the area of Schönbrunn © Julius Silver, Schloß Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebges.m.b.H.
Schönbrunn Palace
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Schönbrunn Palace at night © Julius Silver, Schloß Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebges.m.b.H.
Schönbrunn Palace
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view over the Great Parterre to the Neptune Fountain and the Gloriette © Julius Silver, Schloß Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebges.m.b.H.
Schönbrunn Palace
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The great Gallery, the magnificent heart of Schönbrunn Palace – ceiling frescos by Gregorio Guglielmi © Gerhard Trumler, Schloß Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebges.m.b.H.
Schönbrunn Palace
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Blue Staircase, the grand entrance to the piano nobile – the staircase derives its name from the predominant blue ceiling painting, which the Venetian artist Sebastiano Ricci executed between 1701 and 1709 © Alexander Koller, Schloß Schönbrunn Kultur
Schönbrunn Palace
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Rössel or Stallions’ Room with the Marshals’ Table © Alexander Koller, Schloß Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebges.m.b.H.
Schönbrunn Palace
From the 18th century to 1918, Schönbrunn was the residence of the Habsburg emperors. It was designed by the architects Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach and Nicolaus Pacassi and is full of outstanding examples of decorative art. Together with its gardens, the site of the world’s first zoo in 1752, it is a remarkable Baroque ensemble and a perfect example of Gesamtkunstwerk.
The Cultural World Heritage Site of Schönbrunn Palace is Austria’s most frequently visited tourist attraction. In the palace the residential and state rooms with their original furnishings and decorations convey an authentic impression of the imperial lifestyle. The park and gardens surounding the palace make Schönbrunn a unique synthesis of Baroque art.
Schloß Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H.
Schloß Schönbrunn
1130 Wien
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Website:
http://www.schoenbrunn.at/
The Schloß Schönbrunn Kultur- & Betriebsges.m.b.H. (SKB) runs the leading Austrian cultural institutions Schönbrunn Palace, Imperial Appartments, Sisi Museum and Imperial Silver Collection (Hofburg) and the Imperial Furniture Collection. The aim of the organization is the maintenance and authentic presentation of the historical sites as well as their promotion in the fields of culture, tourism and leisure, especially important for Schönbrunn Palace in compliance with its status as world cultural heritage site.
Schönbrunn Palace was built after designs by Bernhard Fischer von Erlach from 1696 to 1712. Emperor Leopold I wanted to provide a stately chateau de plaisance for his first-born son and future emperor, Joseph, after the building that had previously stood on this site had been destroyed during the second Turkish siege of Vienna in 1683. However, Joseph died a year before the building was completed and it was subsequently used by his widow during the summer months. 