★★★★★ 5.0
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Schönbrunn Palace
The room that decided Europe's fate is decorated entirely with fake Chinese wallpaper. Emperor Charles I signed the end of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy in 1918 inside these walls on Schönbrunner Schloßstraße. Maria Theresa held secret conferences here, plotting moves that would shape empires. What stands before you rose from devastation. The Turks destroyed the original hunting lodge in 1683. By 1696, architect Fischer von Erlach rebuilt it; Maria Theresa then transformed it completely between 1742 and the 1770s. That distinctive pale yellow exterior... they actually named the pigment "Schönbrunn yellow" after this palace. Inside, the Great Gallery stretches 40 meters, crowned with over 100 mirrors reflecting 2.6 million gold leaf decorations. Mozart performed here at age six as a child prodigy. The Vienna Congress convened in this very hall from 1814 to 1815, redrawing Europe's political map. And in the gardens below sits the world's oldest zoo, founded in 1752.
Did You Know?
- : The Gloriette, the iconic structure perched atop Schönbrunn Hill, was built in 1775 to commemorate Austria's victory over Prussia at the Battle of Kolin in 1757. It was originally designed as an open arcade and features symbols of power and trophies, reflecting the Habsburgs' imperial ambitions and Maria Theresa's creative vision.
- Schönbrunn Palace was the site of a legendary musical duel in the Orangerie: in 1762, a young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, aged just six, competed in a musical challenge against the renowned organist Marianne Martínez, impressing the imperial court with his extraordinary talent.
- The palace's famous yellow façade, known as 'Schönbrunn yellow,' was created using a special paint formula developed in the 18th century. The color was chosen to harmonize with the surrounding gardens and has become an iconic symbol of the palace, meticulously maintained to this day.