Schönbrunn Palace

How to get there: from Hotel Appartements Riemergasse, 6 minutes on foot to the Stadtpark, then ride the U4 underground line to Hietzing.

Schönbrunn Palace represents one of the most significant cultural treasures in all of Austria and is likewise one of the most important sights in Vienna. The palace is on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List.

During the second Turkish siege in 1683, Schönbrunn, together with its pleasure palace and zoo, did not remain unscathed. In 1693, Emperor Leopold I commissioned architect Fischer von Erlach to come up with concrete plans for a hunting palace in Schönbrunn. The palace's most glorious era began in 1740 with the ascension to the throne of Austria's only empress, Maria Theresia.

Under the direction of Nikolaus Pacassi, Schönbrunn Palace was remodeled  into a magnificent imperial residence in the rococo style between 1743 and 1763. Once the expansion of the original Schönbrunn hunting palace was completed, it became the focal point of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy.

During the final building phase in the 1770's, the park grounds surrounding the palace were created. The architect Johann Ferdinand Hetzendorf von Hohenberg designed the grounds. He also directed construction of the Gloriette, the Neptune Fountain, the Roman Ruins and the Obelisk.  Furthermore, the walkways, fountains and courtyards were beautified through the addition of numerous antique statues and sculptures.