10 must-know facts about Schönbrunn Palace

What began in 1569 as a royal hunting preserve for Emperor Maximilian II was transformed in 1696 into a more elaborate residence under Leopold I—but it wasn’t until Maria Theresa’s mid-18th-century remodeling that the estate evolved into the grand Baroque summer palace we recognize today.

The name Schönbrunn, literally ‘beautiful spring’, comes from a clear artesian well discovered by Emperor Matthias on the grounds. Supplying water to the Habsburg court, the spring became so central to the estate’s identity that it lent its name to the palace itself, cementing the link between natural resource and imperial splendor.

Schönbrunn Palace contains an astonishing 1,441 rooms, but fewer than 50 are open to the public. Highlights include the dazzling Millions Room, clad in rare rosewood and Indo-Persian miniatures, and the Grand Gallery, where golden stuccoes and chandeliers once hosted state banquets, concerts, and imperial ceremonies.

Commissioned by Maria Theresa in 1747, the palace’s court theater is among the oldest private stages in Europe. It welcomed premieres from composers like Gluck and Haydn, and even after Napoleon’s occupation, it continued to host intimate performances, proving that theater at Schönbrunn was both political and cultural currency.

Established in 1752 by Francis I, Tiergarten Schönbrunn is the oldest zoo in continuous operation worldwide. Originally a menagerie for imperial curiosities, it has grown into a global leader in conservation, housing over 700 species and rare animals like giant pandas, Siberian tigers, and orangutans.

Opened in 1882, the Palmenhaus greenhouse is a breathtaking iron-and-glass structure that still ranks among the largest of its kind. Home to around 4,500 plant species, it unites tropical, Mediterranean, and alpine environments under one roof, standing as both a feat of engineering and a living museum of global flora.

The Imperial Carriage Museum preserves over 160 vehicles and thousands of artifacts that showcase Habsburg wealth on wheels. From Empress Elisabeth’s ornate golden landau to the court’s first 20th-century automobiles, the collection captures how transport evolved, and how pageantry and engineering intersected in the lives of Vienna’s royals.

Crowning the hill behind the palace, the Gloriette was erected in 1775 as a symbol of Habsburg power. Built using recycled stone from a demolished palace, its soaring arches were dedicated to the principle of ‘Just War’. Today, it serves as both a café and one of Vienna’s most breathtaking viewpoints.