The 50 Greatest Castles and Palaces of the World by Gilly Pickup

Author:Gilly Pickup [Gilly Pickup]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781785784583
Publisher: Icon Books
Published: 2019-10-14T16:00:00+00:00

Franz Joseph I Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary was born in Schönbrunn Palace in 1830. Extensive refurbishments and changes accompanied his accession in 1848 and his subsequent marriage to sixteen-year-old Elisabeth, daughter of Duke Maximillian Joseph of the House of Wittelsbach in 1854. The imperial couple were the only royals after Maria Theresia to make Schönbrunn their preferred summer residence though Elisabeth, known as ‘Sisi’ spent much of her time away from Vienna and the constraints of court life. When she first married she did not get on well with her bossy mother-in-law, Archduchess Sophie, who had the final say in the upbringing of Elisabeth’s daughters. When the male heir, Rudolf, was born, things improved slightly but Elisabeth’s health suffered under the strain and she often left Schönbrunn to visit Hungary where she felt more relaxed. It was sad that her life came to an abrupt, tragic end in 1898 though. When she was travelling in Geneva she was stabbed to death by Italian anarchist Luigi Lucheni. Sisi was the longest serving Empress of Austria, at 44 years.

When the imperial family left Schönbrunn after the First World War, palace staff retained rights to remain in their home. Efforts were made to turn the palace into a children’s home and as somewhere to train nursery school teachers. Unfortunately, it quickly became obvious that the building was too expensive for them to heat and maintain.

After the end of the monarchy in 1918, Schönbrunn passed into state ownership. After the Second World War, British occupation forces used parts of Schönbrunn for administrative offices and the British military held parades and celebrations in the palace grounds.

The Austrians regard Schönbrunn Palace and its vast grounds as one of the most important historical and architectural monuments in the country. They are, after all, an intact example of baroque architecture and Schönbrunn is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Interesting facts about Schönbrunn Palace:

• Six-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart impressed Empress Maria Theresia with his musical skills at Schönbrunn in 1772. He played duets with his older sister, Nannerl in the Mirror Room. Of the castle’s 1441 rooms, this is the most famous with its white and gold Rococo decoration and crystal framed mirrors.

• Maria Theresia was said to be beautiful, especially when young. A Prussian emissary at the Vienna court described her as having a round face, slightly reddish blonde hair and pale blue eyes. Although he also said: ‘After going through childbirth numerous times and filling out, she has become somewhat sluggish.’

• The Marie Antoinette Room served as a dining room. Now visitors can see the table laid as it would have been for a family dinner back in the day, with Viennese porcelain, silverware and prism-cut lead crystal glasses. Court dinners were ruled by the strictest etiquette and diners were allowed to converse softly only with their immediate neighbour.

Address: Schönbrunn Palace, Schönbrunner Schloßstraße 47, 1130, Vienna

Website: www.schoenbrunn.at

Visitor information: Around 3 million people visit Vienna’s Schönbrunn Palace every year. The Imperial Tour allows visitors to see inside the apartments of Emperor Franz Joseph and his wife Sisi as well as the Great Gallery.

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