Schönbrunn Palace
Schönbrunn Palace
Schönbrunn Palace
THE HOME OF EMPRESS SISI
The Schönbrunn Palace is a dream destination for any Sisi fan! Here you can walk the same magnificent hallways as the beloved empress and immerse yourself in the world of her husband Emperor Franz Joseph, who was born here in 1830 and also died here 86 years later.
My Rating:
The positives:
You’re not allowed to take photographs inside the palace, so there’s no jostling for the best photo spot. Instead, you can enjoy the magnificent rooms through your own eyes – no smartphone, camera or filter required!
The negatives:
The whole set up feels a bit touristy. You have to follow a specific route through the palace and the walls are protected with Perspex.
Top Tip:
Put aside a whole day for your visit – the palace grounds and zoo are enormous! It’s also a good idea to book your tickets online if you want to avoid the long queues at the ticket office.
Last Modified: 31.01.2025 | Céline & Susi
Schönbrunn Palace
Tickets
| Schönbrunn Palace Tickets | Price | Information | Buy Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|
|
ONLINE-TICKET from |
EUR 27 | Single admission only available through the official website | offical Website |
|
Vienna Tourist Pass |
EUR 78 | Admission and Tour Schönbrunn Palace + Panoramatrain Schönbrunn + Admission Upper Belvedere + City Audio guide + 10% off | Buy Ticket |
|
Ticket + GUIDED TOUR |
EUR 54 | Admission + guided tour in English, duration: 1.5 hours | Book Tour |
|
PANORAMIC TRAIN |
EUR 15 | Valid for one day, hop-on hop-off train on the Schönbrunn site | Buy Ticket |
|
VIENNA CITY CARD from |
EUR 17 | Available for 1, 2, 3 days, then you have 15% discounted entry | Buy Pass |
|
SCHÖNBRUNN ZOO |
EUR 27 | Admission to the zoo Tierpark Schönbrunn | Buy Ticket |
The details
at a glance
Prices
Adult prices:
Sisi Ticket Deluxe: EUR 49 (from April 1, 2025: EUR 51)
Imperial tour: EUR 27
Grand tour: EUR 32 (from April 1, 2025: EUR 34)
Gloriette: EUR 5
Maze: EUR 5
Crown Prince Garden: EUR 5
Orangery Garden: EUR 5
Children’s Museum: EUR 8.50
Passes
Free admission to Schönbrunn Palace.
The Vienna Pass is available for 1, 2, 3 or 6 days.
-> More about the Vienna Pass
Reduced admission to Schönbrunn Palace.
The Vienna City Card is available for 1, 2 or 3 days.
-> More about the Vienna City Card
Schönbrunn Palace
Photo Gallery
WHAT IS THERE
TO SEE?
The minute you walk through the main gates and enter the Schönbrunn Palace grounds, you’re struck by the opulence and grandeur of the place. There’s just so much to see here, from the magnificent rooms inside the palace to the stunning gardens, charming gloriette and fantastic zoo.
Walking up to the palace entrance, you can’t help but stop a few times to take in the sheer size of the building and its grounds. And inside is no different: You just can’t help but be amazed as you’re guided through room after room, each more magnificent and splendid than the last. Almost everywhere you look there are chandeliers, gold-framed paintings, silverware, beautiful wall decorations and more besides.
The information in the rooms is very accessible, painting a fascinating picture of how the imperial household lived, worked and celebrated. Unsurprisingly, the main focus is on the famous Empress Elisabeth – known as Sisi (or ‘Sissi’ as it is often spelt following the release of the Sissi films in the 1950s) – and her relationship with Emperor Franz Joseph. Walking through the exhibition, it almost feels like the Emperor and Empress have rolled out the red carpet for their guests – like you’ve been granted an audience with the Emperor in his study, asked to admire the Empress’ wardrobe, or invited to dine with them both one evening.
It’s all very well done, so much so that the tour leaves you hungry to find out more about imperial life – something you can luckily do at the Sisi Museum and Vienna Furniture Museum, both of which form part of the Schönbrunn Palace but are located in the city centre.
In 1996, both the palace and its gardens were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The gardens themselves are very popular with locals and you’ll certainly pass at least one person out running. The park is a great place to escape the hustle and bustle of city life, get some exercise or just enjoy a gentle stroll. The mazes are also fun, but be careful you don’t get lost – they were known and loved during the baroque period for their clever design!
If you stand by the Neptune Fountain in the middle of the park, you’ll see the palace on one side and the 18th century gloriette on the other. It’s well worth climbing up the hill to the gloriette for the glorious view over the Schönbrunn Palace and gardens. If you’re visiting Vienna just before Christmas, the annual Christmas market in front of the palace is also a must. The festive atmosphere is great and there are lots of stalls where you can pick up little Christmas gifts and sample some delicious Austrian delicacies.
Incidentally, if you’re wondering where the name Schönbrunn comes from, it means ‘beautiful well’ in German and originates from the spring allegedly discovered in the grounds.
Schönbrunn Palace
A BIT OF HISTORY
The Schönbrunn Palace is one of the most popular sights in Vienna and for good reason! Not only is the building a stunning piece of architecture, it is also historically significant. The enormous estate came into the Habsburgs’ possession during the 16th century, when Emperor Maximilian II purchased it to create a hunting ground. Later, in the 17th century, a palace was built on the estate for the Empress Eleonora Gonzaga. Towards the end of the 17th century, Leopold I made plans to remodel the palace and create a residence fit to rival the Palace of Versailles. Unfortunately for him, he couldn’t afford to achieve his vision and so Versailles remains the largest palace in Europe.
The palace that you see today was constructed in the 18th century as the summer residence of the Empress and Archduchess Maria Theresia. The building continued to be used as a summer residence until the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806 and remained an imperial residence until the end of the First World War in 1918.
The renowned Emperor Franz Joseph was born at the Schönbrunn Palace in 1830 and also died there 86 years later. For him, Schönbrunn was always more important than the Hofburg Palace, where his family resided during the winter months. He became Emperor in 1848 and just a few years later ordered that Schönbrunn be used as a residence all year round.
Just think how many hundreds of people – members of the imperial family and household servants alike – must have woken up and gone to bed in these magnificent rooms over the centuries!
In 1854, Franz Joseph married his beloved Sisi (Empress Elisabeth) and commissioned a complete renovation of the palace rooms. He adored his wife and is said to have done anything to please her, although whether this was reciprocated is a source of much debate.
As well as being the home of the imperial family, under Franz Joseph’s rule, the palace’s 1441 rooms quickly became the political centre of the Habsburgs. Today 45 of the rooms are open to visitors and others are rented out as apartments for private individuals. Schönbrunn is where the monarchy thrived, but also where it ultimately came to an end. After all, it was here, just two years after the death of Emperor Franz Joseph, that his successor Charles I signed the declaration in which he relinquished his reign.
Official website of Schönbrunn Palace: www.schoenbrunn.at
Text rights: © Céline Mülich, 2020 – 2025
With the support of Susanne Vukan
With the permission of Schönbrunn Palace.
All image rights © Schloß Schönbrunn, Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H., Severin Wurnig
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