Visiting Schönbrunn is among the top priorities of any tourist coming to Vienna. Schönbrunn Palace is not only considered one of UNESCO’s world heritage sites but it is also among Vienna’s most magnificent and important historical attractions. There is so much to explore and many visitors have not yet fully grasped on what exactly is important to see when exploring the vast areas of Schönbrunn. That’s why we made a compact list of the most important sites in the palace park.
Schönbrunn Palace
When talking about the beauty of the Schönbrunn Palace, many tourists mistakenly think that it is enough to see the Palace from the outside, as its imperial architecture, ornaments, coats of arms and statues are already beautiful enough. However, the true beauty of the Palace, as well as the entire Schönbrunn complex must be experienced from inside the Palace. The rooms of Schönbrunn Palace are incredibly beautiful and give visitors a real feeling of going back to the habsburg times, and witnessing the life of emperors, empresses, and their relatives just as it was back in the day. The main focus of the grand tour around the Palace is the representation of the most important historical figures of the era, such as the imperial family of Emperor Franz Joseph, Maria Theresa and Empress Elisabeth (Sisi) as well as other historic figures such as Napoleon and Mozart. The inside of the Schönbrunn Palace and its many rooms are filled with beautiful furniture in the rococo style, wonderful ornaments and decorations made of real imperial silk, historical painting and portraits, giant magnificent chandeliers and many other aspects, things and items which can surely immerse anyone into the authentic imperial life of Schönbrunn.
Café Gloriette
Another great attraction that makes Schönbrunn a place where tourists can come to again and again, is the famous 1775 built Café Gloriette. Located across the imperial gardens and on the very top of the hill overlooking the entire Schönbrunn territory, Gloriette is a magnificent piece of architecture. With its huge and beautiful columns, an incredible rooftop view, old military style decorations and wonderful sculptures, Gloriette is a standout among the many historical sights of Schönbrunn. As of today, Gloriette is completely free to visit (apart from the rooftop viewing platform), and you can enjoy a traditional Viennese breakfast and coffee there. From the rooftop of Gloriette it is possible to see pretty much all of Vienna’s top tourists attractions, such as the Stephansdom Cathedral, the golden roof of the Steinhofkirche church, the giant towers of the Donau City and more.
Schönbrunn Zoo
It is impossible to single out the most important or beautiful location on the vicinity of the Schönbrunn Palace and its gardens, but for those who love nature, animals and are big fans of long walks, the famous Schönbrunn Zoo (Tiergarten Schönbrunn) is a location that every tourists in Vienna has to visit. Schönbrunn Zoo proudly carries the title of the “Oldest functioning zoo in the world” and it is among the most beautiful, spacious and visited zoos in the entire world. The establishment of the zoo dates back to the 18th century and since then, the zoo has experienced various modernization and renovation operations, making it into an award-winning zoo, which is visited by hundreds of thousands of people every year. Schönbrunn Zoo is famously known as one of the most animal friendly zoos in the world, making sure that the animal residents of the zoo have large and spacious areas for walking, running, swimming and playing, while feeding them with biological and organic food which fulfills the important qualities prescribed by the Austrian Law. Zoo Schönbrunn is also proud to be among just a handful of zoos in the world where visitors can see the gorgeous Giant Pandas eat, play and interact with each other.
The wine restaurant “Heuriger Joseph II”
If you are hungry and looking for an authentic Austrian cuisine to try near Schönbrunn, a traditional wine restaurant called Heuriger Joseph II is open to guests from Tuesday until Sunday and is a staple of the original imperial delicacies at Schönbrunn. Heuriger Joseph II offers an incredibly wide array of traditional Austrian and Viennese delicacies, including famous dishes like wiener schnitzel, goulash, apple strudel, tafelspitz, different kinds of authentic Austrian sausages, as well as delicious vegetarian and vegan dishes. The most important thing to try when at Heuriger Joseph II however, is its wine. This wine restaurant doesn’t just serve one type of wine, it rather functions as Schönbrunn’s most important wine tavern, offering a great wide selection of traditional Austrian wines, ranging from all famous wine regions of Austria and even serves the extremely rare “Liesenpfennig”, a type of wine that is originally grown in the gardens of Schönbrunn and is produced through mixing of specific type of grapes, making it very rich and unique. Heuriger Joseph II is located right on the side wing of the entrance to the Schönbrunn Palace and is very easy to find when you get out of the Schönbrunn metro station. This wine restaurant has also been awarded with multiple prizes for its grand opening, as well as numerous recognitions for the quality of its food and services.
Neptune Fountain
Besides the Schönbrunn Palace itself, the surrounding areas are also filled with various beautiful checkpoints and sights, for example the famous Neptune Fountain or “Neptunbrunnen”. Located on the opposite side of the garden area, it is a magnificent piece of Austria’s rich imperial history, constructed all the way in the 1770s. The fountain represents the Roman god of sea Neptune and his horses, as well as other prominent figures of Roman mythology. Leaning on his trident and overlooking the visitors coming to see the fountain, Neptune appears to be imposing and magnificent, while goddess Thetis is kneeling in front of him with various other beautiful sea related ornaments covering the rest of the fountain display.
Other Highlights
Some more highlights include the Orangery garden, the Labyrinth and the Palm House. The Orangery is a beautiful baroque building that was once used to grow orange trees. These days, it’s home to a café and a shop selling local produce. The Labyrinth is a hedge maze that was built in the 18th century. It’s the perfect place to explore and get lost in on a sunny day. The Palm House is one of the largest glasshouses in Europe and is home to over 3,500 plants from all over the world. With so much to see, Schönbrunn Palace is a must-visit for any visitor to Vienna.
As you can see when you visit Schönbrunn Palace, you’ll be spoiled for choice when it comes to things to see. The main Schönbrunn territory, including the palace gardens and the parks, is open from 6:30 am and is completely free of charge for visiting and exploring. If you decide to get up earlier and explore the delightful riches of Schönbrunn before the huge masses of tourists arrive, you will be able to see Schönbrunn in its full glory and you will also have a chance to take pictures and videos without tourists spoiling the scenery for you.
Entry tickets to a guided tour can be found online or at the palace itself.
