In 1996, Schonbrunn Palace, its parkland, fountains and statues as well as its zoo where placed on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List.

Schonbrunn Palace dates back to the Middle Ages when it was commonly referred to as Katterburg. Over the following centuries, Schonbrunn was home to many prominent figures which included Hermann Bayer in 1548, who was mayor of Vienna and who was responsible for transforming Schonbrunn into a manorial estate.

In 1569, Schonbrunn came into the possession of the Habsburg’s via Maximilian II and according to the deeds of the acquisition, included a house, a watermill, stabling as well as a pleasure garden and an orchard. This laid the foundations for an imposing residence and formal gardens as well as a deer park. Maximilian was primarily interested in extending the game park, which was principally intended for the breeding of native game and fowl. Following his sudden death in 1576 the Katterburg passed to Rudolph II, who did little to the estate except to carry out necessary repairs which where required to keep Schonbrunn in working order.

Emperor Matthias used the estate for hunting, and according to a legend is supposed to have come across the Schone Brunnen ('fair spring'), which eventually gave the estate its name, while on a hunting excursion in 1612.

His successor, Emperor Ferdinand II, and his wife, Eleonora von Gonzaga, both passionately keen on hunting, chose Schonbrunn Palace as the venue for their hunting parties. After Ferdinand's death in 1637 the estate became the residence of his widow, who needed the appropriate architectural setting for her busy social life. She therefore had a 'château de plaisance' built in 1642, which was accompanied by the renaming of the Katterburg to Schonbrunn.

In 1683 the château de plaisance and its deer park became a victim of the invading Turkish armies during the siege of Vienna and from 1686 the estate was in the possession of Emperor Leopold I, who gave Schonbrunn Palace to his son and heir, Joseph. In 1688, the architect Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach presented the emperor with a preliminary set of designs for a new palace. Five years later Leopold I commissioned plans for the construction of a grand hunting lodge, on which work started in 1696. The new building was partly built on the existing foundations of the château de plaisance that had been destroyed by the Turks.

By the early part 18th century the central section of Schonbrunn Palace had been completed and was ready to be moved into. The construction of the palaces wings was delayed owing to the War of the Spanish Succession in 1701 and the building project came to a halt in 1711 due to Joseph’s sudden death.

In 1728 Emperor Charles VI acquired Schonbrunn Palace and used it solely for shooting parties. Charles VI eventually made a gift of it to his daughter, Maria Theresa whose reign marked the opening of a brilliant period in Schonbrunn's history.

Schonbrunn became the centre of court and political life. Under Maria’s guidance accompanied with the supervision of the architect Nikolaus Pacass, Joseph I's grand hunting lodge was rebuilt and extended into a lavish residence.



Construction took place during the period 1743 to 1749. The audience chamber and residential apartments of the future emperor and empress were extended and were ready for habitation by 1746. One year previously the newly-refurbished court chapel had been consecrated. The rebuilding included the laying out of the two inner courtyards and the construction of the so-called Chapel Staircase which afforded access to the piano nobile. The following phase in 1746 included the removal of the central exterior flight of stairs that Fischer had built on the Parade Court front, in order to create a spacious carriageway out of the ground floor of the central projection, together with the Great and Small Galleries above it on the piano nobile. By 1747 the imperial family had grown in size and a new mezzanine floor was constructed between the piano nobile and the upper storey allowing new apartments for the imperial children and their retinue to be constructed.

Other alterations included colonnades which connected the side wings as well as a complex of working quarters. These were urgently needed, as Schonbrunn had now become an imperial residence and was home to over 1500 people.

At Maria Theresa's express wish a theatre was also built and was ceremonially opened in 1747. In 1750 Maria Theresa again embarked on a new phase of rebuilding due to the ever increasing size of the imperial family which was growing at the rate of nearly one child a year. This led to the insertion of a mezzanine floor in the west wing.

After her death Schonbrunn Palace remained unoccupied and was only used as a summer residence during the reign of Emperor Franz II/I. During the intervening years Schonbrunn was occupied by Napoleon in 1805 and 1809.

In 1830 Franz Joseph was born in the east wing of Schonbrunn Palace and it was also where he spent the summers of his childhood and youth. When he succeeded to the throne in 1848 the palace was once again to experience a brilliant era as he chose Schonbrunn as his favourite residence and was to spend the major part of his life there. At the beginning of his reign Franz Joseph moved into apartments in the west wing facing the Parade Court which he was to continue to occupy until his death on 21st November 1916.

In 1996, Schonbrunn Palace, its parkland, fountains and statues as well as its zoo where placed on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List.

Tourist Information

Opening Times:

1st April to 30th June 8.30 am to 5 pm

1st July to 31st August 8.30 am to 6 pm

1st September to 31st October 8.30 am to 5 pm

1st November to 31st March 8.30 am to 4.30 pm

Admission Prices:

Imperial Tour (22 state rooms with audioguide)

Adults EUR 8,90

Students* (aged 16-25) EUR 7,90

Children (aged 6-15) EUR 4,70

Disabled EUR 4,70

Grand Tour (40 state rooms with audioguide)

Adults EUR 11,50

Students* (aged 16-25) EUR 10,20

Children (aged 6-15) EUR 6,00

Disabled EUR 6,00

* international students card only