Category Archives: Austria

Austria

Schönbrunn Palace

Today we decided to go and visit the UNESCO world site the Schonbrunn Palace.  The Baroque palace is a massive building with 1,441 rooms and has a long rich history spanning over 300 years. 

view of a section of the Schonbrunn Palace
Ray, Janice, Scott and Shelley at the front of the Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna

We began by walking along the front of the palace until we reached the side entrance to view some of the interior rooms of the palace.  We explored three of the main rooms which had some impressive features. 

The Great Hall in the Schonbrunn Palace

The ceilings were works of art and made the rooms seem almost alive. 

Massive wooden and gilded Chandelier in the Great hall of the Palace

We walked along the corridors admiring the baroque designs of the palace 

Art within the palace

After walking through a small portion of the palace we headed outside to the gardens. We began in the garden pavillion then  headed towards the main garden area.

Privy Garden area of the palace
The garden Pavilion at the Schonbrunn Palace

The gardens were immense and had stunning features. we walked through the main garden area and headed towards the Gloriette on the hill top.

View of the gardens from the rear of the Palace with the <Gloriette on the hill in the background.

Along the way towards the Gloriette we stopped at the Neptune Fountain called the Great Parterre area of the gardens.

The Neptune Fountain

At the rear of the fountain was an area where you could see through the fountain and see the Palace in the distance. 

Scott, Janice Shelley and Ray at the Neptune Fountain with a view of the palace in the background

We continued our walk up the hill and we came to a small pound in front of the Gloriette.

Pond in front of the Gloriette

We continued up the hill until we reached the Gloriette.

The Gloriette which is the garden axis points towards a 60-metre-high (200 ft) hill.

From here there were beautiful views of the Palace and Vienna in the background. It was truly worth the long walk up the hill.

View of the Schonbrunn Palace and Vienna from the Gloriette

The Gloriette structure is one of the iconic parts of the garden. Erected on the top of the  60-metre-high (200 ft) hill, it is a focal point of the garden.

Ornate decoration of the Gloriette
Ceiling area of the Glorietee

Built in 1775 with stone recycled from another site, the military-themed columns and arches are made to represent to glorify Habsburg power. 

We stayed at the Gloriette for a while enjoying a well deserved rest and admiring the views before heading back.  We walked down through a hedged area of the gardens. There were sculptures and statues along the way. 

We worked our way to the exit and then headed back. It was a long day but quite enjoyable.

“den Tag zu genießen”

Austria

Vienna, Austria

We arrived in the centre area of the city of Vienna by train . The city which has a population of over 2 million is the capital of Austria.  

The Schmetterlinghaus, The Butterfly house, Vienna
Donnerbrunnen Fountain in the Neuer Market Square, Vienna.

We walked into the historic centre of Vienna and we were greeted by spectacular architecture and a lively atmosphere. 

Vienna State Opera
Hofburg Palace inside court view
St Micheal’s Church
Emperor Franz I, The Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary, and the ruler of the other states of the Habsburg monarchy

We explored the centre weaving our way through the timeless streets and sites.

Vienna Art Nouveau architecture
Arches of the State Opera Building in Vienna
A caryatid on one of the Vienna buildings in the old quarter

The rich history of Vienna could be seen in the architectures of the buildings.

St Charles Church in Vienna
Hochstrahlbrunnen Fountain and monument in Vienna
Statue out front of the Albertina Museum, Vienna
St Peter’s Church, Vienna

Along the way we came to a museum called Time travel.  We decided to try something different and went into this museum. 

Time Travel Museum in Vienna Austria

Inside the museum we experienced an array of multimedia displays and 3D virtual experiences that were truly amazing.

In the Time Travel museum with 3D virtual glasses
Ray with statue of Roman in the Time Travel Museum

It brought to life the history of Vienna in a way that was truly enjoyable and memorable.  

St Stephen Cathedral in Vienna

We went to see the St Stephen’s Cathedral in the heart of the old quarter of Vienna. The Romanesque and Gothic styled Cathedral was constructed starting in 1138 and is spectacular to see.

View of the roof tile design of the church

One of the features of St. Stephen’s Cathedral is its ornately patterned, richly coloured roof which is covered by 230,000 glazed tiles.

The inside of the church is decorated in ornate Gothic and Romanesque styles. 

After a long day of exploring the city, we decided to go and have a nice meal before heading back to our room for the night. We enjoyed our first day in Vienna and look forward to tomorrow and more adventures. 

“Wir sind hin- und hergerissen zwischen der Sehnsucht nach dem Vertrauten und dem Drang nach dem Fremden und Fremden. Oft haben wir Heimweh nach den Orten, die wir noch nie gekannt haben.”