Welcome to the Schönbrunn Palace
The Schönbrunn Palace is a former imperial summer residence that was used by Austrian royalty. It remains one of the nation's premiere architectural and historical achievements, not to mention it's unparalleled beauty. The palace and it's surrounding gardens are designed in the classic Rococo style, a form of Baroque architecture.
History and Importance
Schönbrunn Palace opened in 1740, although construction started in 1642. It housed Habsburg emperors from it's opening until 1918 when the empire fell at the end of World War II. The palace and the gardens are an intricate part of not only Austrian history but European history as well. Today it is Austria's most visited site drawing nearly 3 million people through it's gates every year (Schönbrunn, n.d.).
Schönbrunn Palace opened in 1740, although construction started in 1642. It housed Habsburg emperors from it's opening until 1918 when the empire fell at the end of World War II. The palace and the gardens are an intricate part of not only Austrian history but European history as well. Today it is Austria's most visited site drawing nearly 3 million people through it's gates every year (Schönbrunn, n.d.).
The Schönbrunn Palace embodies all six major features of Rococo architecture.
Light Pastel Colors
The most prominent feature of Rococo architecture is the use of vibrant pastels, and Schönbrunn Palace is no exception. The bright yellow exterior is the focal point of the palace. Due to the expensive nature of the entire structure, the queen wanted to cut costs, and the cheapest color of paint available was yellow (Schönbrunn, n.d.).
Elaborate Curves and Scrolls
Small scrolls and decorations line the entire roof of the palace. The roof itself is a mansard roof, which has two slopes on each of the four sides. The first slope is almost completely flat, while the second slope is much steeper and contains dormer windows.
Intricate Patterns
As seen in the mirror room to the left, the patterns inside the palace are not simple. Yet at the same time, not overbearing either. The design of the palace finds the proper balance making Schönbrunn exquisite but not excessive.
Ornaments Shaped like Shells and Plants
The aforementioned small designs on the roof are of little palm trees. It is certainly a prominent and noticeable feature of the palace. At the time of construction, the imperial residents wanted to feel like they were in paradise, hence the use of the tropical plant.
Delicate Details
Details are not hard to come by in this magnificent structure. The palace is in perfect symmetry, yet every room has a different design. The artwork through the entire place is original and was painted on sight upon the palace's creation in the mid 1600s.
Interesting fact: The room shown to the left is the first room Motzart ever played in. He was 6 years old at the time
Details are not hard to come by in this magnificent structure. The palace is in perfect symmetry, yet every room has a different design. The artwork through the entire place is original and was painted on sight upon the palace's creation in the mid 1600s.
Interesting fact: The room shown to the left is the first room Motzart ever played in. He was 6 years old at the time
Complex Shapes
With 1,444 rooms in the entire palace you'd be hard-pressed to find two that look similar, in fact no two rooms have the exact same dimensions. This is peculiar because from the exterior, Schönbrunn is completely symmetrical. This is exactly what architects Johann Bernhard Fischer and Nicolò Pacassi wanted to accomplish when designing the building (Schönbrunn, n.d.).
With 1,444 rooms in the entire palace you'd be hard-pressed to find two that look similar, in fact no two rooms have the exact same dimensions. This is peculiar because from the exterior, Schönbrunn is completely symmetrical. This is exactly what architects Johann Bernhard Fischer and Nicolò Pacassi wanted to accomplish when designing the building (Schönbrunn, n.d.).
Schönbrunn Gardens
Neptune Fountain
Schönbrunn Gardens take up a total of 500 acres around the palace. This space consists of a maze, palm house, and most notably Neptune Fountain. Intended to be the focal point of the gardens, the fountain sits at the foot of the hill directly behind the palace. Built and designed by Franz Anton von Zauner in 1780, the sculpture depicts Thetis asking Neptune to give her son Achilles a safe voyage to Troy.
Palm House
The palm house was one of the most advanced architectural achievements for it's time. The use of glass and iron was very uncommon in the 17th and 18th century. Today the palm house is separated into three sections, a cold zone, a temperature zone, and a tropical zone. These temperatures are achieved through a complex steam heating system which allows species of plants from all of the world to flourish in the palm house (Schönbrunn, n.d.).