Schönbrunn Palace
Going to Austria, you should certainly visit the Schönbrunn Palace Ensemble, located in the suburbs of Vienna. This is the main residence of the Austrian emperors of the Habsburg dynasty and one of the most beautiful palace complexes in Europe
History of the Palace of Schönbrunn
Let's get back in time. Once, these lands belonged to the monastery. Then they were sold to Kaiser Maximilian II. He created a reserve here, and used it as a hunting ground. During the hunt, on the territory he discovered springs, from them the name of the palace "Schöne Brunnen" came, which means "beautiful sources". In 1696, under the leadership of architect Johann Bernhard Fisher von Erlach, the construction of the first building began. The then-right Emperor Leopold I decided to build a palace no worse than the French Versailles. The emperor did not live to the end of construction, and in 1705 the palace passed to his son Joseph I.
In 1728, the estate passed to Charles VI of Habsburg, the younger brother of Joseph I. He rarely visited here, going hunting. Ultimately, he decided to give Shenbrunn to his heiress, Maria Theresa. During her reign, the palace was redone. He became the center of a pompous court life. Here were opened a theater, a park, a greenhouse, a zoo that works to this day. Napoleon Bonaparte stayed twice in the palace, and his son lived here until his death. In 1918, after the overthrow of the monarchical system, the palace became the property of the state. Due to the bombing in 1945, the building was damaged. It was restored more than once, but only in 1992 did active restoration begin. The Schönbrunn Palace Ensemble was included in the UNESCO list as a cultural heritage in 1996.
Shyonbrunn today
Every year, tourists from all over the world come to Schönbrunn, their number exceeds 8 million per year. There are 1,441 rooms in the palace, of which 200 are rented to private individuals, and 45 are available for viewing. One of the most beautiful halls is considered the Mirror Hall. It is decorated in the style of Rococo, which is characterized by elegance, graceful ornaments, muffled pastel tones, asymmetry of the compositions. In this hall, the six-year-old Mozart once played for the imperial person; solemn receptions were arranged here, the ministers swore allegiance to the state. The luxurious decoration of the Great Gallery was the best suited for points. The composition “ Allegoria of the prosperity of the monarchy in the reign of Maria Theresa ”, created by the 18th-century Italian artist Gregorio Gulelmi, as well as crystal lamps, constituted a wonderful surroundings for the historic meeting in 1961 of Khrushchev and Kennedy.
In the Small Gallery you can see many gold modeling jewelry. The walls are also decorated with frescoes, and the windows offer beautiful views of the palace park. In the bedroom of Maria Theresa, the royal bed, made by masters in the 18th century, has been preserved. The restoration of this room was especially careful. The salon, which served Empress Elizabeth as an office, was also decorated in the new architectural style of Rococo for the era, which replaced the baroque. In the salon, she received diplomats with credentials and gave audience to applicants. The room exhibited 3 portraits of the empress and several images of her children painted with pastel.
In the office of the Austrian emperor Franz Joseph is the table that has survived to this day, at which the fateful affairs of the state were decided. The decoration of the room is modest, and the walls adorn many paintings and family photographs. Among the rooms that deserve special attention, one can also note: the Walnut Room, the Ceremonial Hall, the Napoleon Room, the Gobelen Room, the Rose Grand Hall, etc. It is difficult to describe all the splendor of the decoration of halls and rooms.
Palace ensemble
The area adjacent to the castle is the Schönbrunn Palace Ensemble, which is a special attraction. In the park there are museums, greenhouse, sculptures, fountains, the oldest zoo. This is the oldest zoo, one of the best in Europe. There is not enough day to see all the possessions. Shenbrunn Palace is a witness to the power of the Habsburg dynasty and a masterpiece of art. Here in the air is the atmosphere of history. This place is striking in its grandeur and beauty.
