One of the most beautiful, and largest castles in all of Europe, Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna is a feast for the senses and even has a zoo that houses pandas, emus and, well, vultures. Veronica Stivala played princess for a day.

One of the bedrooms within the palace.

I admit, I have had my fair share of castles in the past few years. While I have definitely exceeded the single digit mark, I still don’t seem to have had enough of them. I suppose, as with many, the charm and attraction lies in the sheer magnificence of these extraordinary buildings, some huger than others. While I admit to marveling at the colour medley of the wallpaper, carpet and upholstery as well as wishing I could nick a couple of gold candlestick holders, chaise lounges and silk cushions, a big lure factor remains being able to immerse myself in a rich and colourful history of the nobility of the past.

I thus embarked on a trip to Schönbrunn Palace during a recent trip to Vienna, Austria. The palace is incredibly easy to access via train and is located a few hundred metres away from a station appropriately entitled Schönbrunn.

The imperial Schönnbrunn palace complex is one of Austria’s most important cultural monuments and since 1996 has been on the Unesco World Cultural Heritage List. Its history is indeed rich and colourful, and dates all the way back to the Middle Ages. In 1569 the estate and its manor house came into Hasbourg dynastic ownership through Maximilian II. The palace underwent a dark time when, it fell victim to the devastation of the Turkish siege of Vienna in 1683. Despite this, the palace actually saw many more embellishments, such as, the building of a magnificent new residence by Emperor Leopold I for his son and successor. The palace grounds continue to be extended and include a palace theatre, and two galleries with vaulted ceilings and frescoes and stucco work (which are one of the most impressive extant ensembles of the Rococo age).

The palace underwent a dark time when, it fell victim to the devastation of the Turkish siege of Vienna in 1683

Words cannot do justice to the splendor that is Schönbrunn palace. So I can only nod at a few of my highlights: the precious walnut paneling in the Walnut Room, which served Franz Joseph as an audience chamber, the white and gold panelling in the Marie Antoinette Room, where visitors learn about the  queen-to-be’s obsession with her figure and who often missed meals as a result of this fixation, the Mirrors Room, where the young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is reputed to have attended and played at a reception in the presence of Empress Maria Thereza in 1762. After his recital, as his father reported, he sprang onto the empress’s lap, “clasped her around the neck, and kissed her heartily”.

The coffee shop inside the castle grounds.

A word needs to be said about the quaint yellow and green vintage train you can ride and which will help you see the extensive palace grounds when your feet have given up on you. Titled the Panorama Train, this does exactly what it says on the tin and takes passengers on a gorgeous trip to the highlight – the Gloriette Hill, which was built as the crowning touch to the palatial baroque ensemble. Also included in one of the train’s stops is the zoo, the oldest baroque zoo which dates back to 1752. Here you can see giant pandas, Siberian tigers, orangutans, and elephants. The zoo also carries out species conservation work. The zoo is an educational centre too and helps save threatened animal species that have been carefully bred in the scope of the international zoo network.

Aerial view of the palace.

If I had to be critical, I would say the outing definitely verges on the expensive side. If you want to see the palace, you’ll need to opt for adult tickets, which cost €21. And, unless you opt for an even more expensive ticket, you need to pay again for the train ride, which costs €7. The food at the café, although also definitely on the pricey side, is delicious. On the plus side, there are family tickets for two adults and three children at €46.20). Of course, I’m still immensely glad I went and find I am now better acquainted with the fascinating history of Sisi and her relatives.

One of the palace hallways.