Schönbrunn Palace through the ages | The heart of Habsburg royalty

The name, meaning ‘beautiful spring’, comes from a water source that Emperor Matthias is said to have discovered on the grounds in 1612. The first written use of “Schönbrunn” appeared in records in 1642.

The siege devastated the earlier pleasure palace and gardens, and Emperor Leopold I commissioned Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach to design a new residence, marking the start of Schönbrunn’s transformation into a true imperial palace.

Architect Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach created the first major design for Schönbrunn after the 1683 siege. His ambitious scheme was intended to rival the grandeur of Versailles, with vast courtyards and monumental wings, but the full project was never realized.

Maria Theresa’s chief architect, Nikolaus Pacassi, created the Rococo state rooms and galleries, while Johann Ferdinand Hetzendorf von Hohenberg added the Gloriette, Neptune Fountain, Roman Ruin, and Obelisk in the 1770s.

The palace’s famous yellow façade, now known as ‘Schönbrunn Yellow’, only became standard in the mid-19th century. Before that, the walls had been painted in different shades, including ochre and even a grey favored during the Neoclassical period under court architect Johann Aman.

The palace served as Napoleon’s headquarters during the 1805 and 1809 occupations, and one room still known as the ‘Napoleon Room' likely served as his bedroom.

The Treaty of Schönbrunn was signed at the palace on 14 October 1809, ending the War of the Fifth Coalition between Austria and Napoleonic France. Some sources call it the Treaty of Vienna because Schönbrunn is located within the city, making both names historically accurate.

In preparation for the Congress of Vienna in 1814, Schönbrunn underwent urgent refurbishment and façade changes to suit contemporary taste and imperial protocol.

Napoleon II, the Duke of Reichstadt and son of Napoleon I, died of tuberculosis at Schönbrunn on 22 July 1832.

Schönbrunn became a state museum and later housed British administrative headquarters from 1945 to 1955 before returning to ceremonial and museum use.

The Roman Ruin was built in the 1770s by architect Johann Ferdinand Hetzendorf von Hohenberg as part of a grand Baroque redesign of the gardens. It was deliberately constructed as a ‘fake ruin’, symbolizing the power of ancient Rome and linking Habsburg authority to the legacy of classical civilization.