The Schonbrunn mansion is a massive complex, situated in the city of Wien in Austria, and it is one of the most visited attractions in whole Austria. Admittance to the outside the complex is free, so you can walk around freely and see how huge it is, however you have to pay to visit the interior of the mansion, the maze or the ZOO, which are all situated around the mansion.
The mansion got its name after one of the fountains. Our tour guide told us, that one of the early visitors of the mansion, just after construction, saw this fountain, and said: 'Oh, Schon Brunn', which means beautiful fountain in German. The Schonbrunn is known as the temporary residence of Maria Theresa, the woman that most schoolkids nowadays hate, because she made primary schooling obligatory for everybody.
I visited Schonbrunn as a part of an organised excursion with my university. We had an hour and a half of free time at the complex, so we could see whatever we wanted. The tour guide told us, that it does not make sense to see the interior of the mansion with such a little time, because it is so big and the queue for the tickets is huge. So, in an hour and a half, we barely had enough time to go up the viewpoint, take some pictures and check out the Christmas fair. The guide also told us that you would need at least one or two days to see the whole Schonbrunn complex. I decided to visit Wien again and take a more detailed look at everything, because one day simply is not enough for such an amazing city. The entrance fee for the tour inside the mansion is twenty Euros, and they offer English – speaking guides, too.
A short overview of the whole complex
First thing you will notice from the outside, are two tall pillars, and this is where the entrance is. Right afer the entrance, there is a big yard, where a Christmas fair is held at this time. Just to imagine, how big the yard is – the fair there is bigger than the one in the capital city of my country, Ljubljana. There are stalls, a big christmas tree in the middle of the yard, with a nativity scene under it. What I found interesting in Wien is, that when you buy their typical drink in Christmas time, mulled wine, you get a nice, Christmas – themed mug with it.
Some are, for example, shaped like Santa's boots, or have other christmas decoration on it. The mulled wine itself costs three Euros, and the auction for the mug costs another three Euros. You can keep the mug or return it – if you decide to give it back, they will give you the auction of three Euros back. This doen not happen only at the Schonbrunn, but in whole Wien, too. At the stalls, they also sell hand – made souvenirs and typical Austrian food, but everything is very expensive. We even have a proverb about the prices in Wien in my country, which says that if you go to Wien, you better leave your stomach at home.
Behind the yard with the Christmas fair, you will find the office that sells tickets for all the payable attractions inside the complex. There, you can also ask for any information you need. If you keep walking, you will soon reach the backyard, and you will see several walking paths on the left and on the right side that seem to stretch into infinity. The first thing that you will notice, is, how trimmed the bushes and the trees are. The lines look like they are drawn with a ruler, so you can only imagine, how much precise work and patience is involved in maintaning this. Some bushes are trimmed into a completely roundshape. German precision, I guess. There is also a tunnel, made out of trees. Just imegine, how awesome it must be in spring and summer, when the trees bloom, and you are walking through this tunnel.
In the middle of the backyard, you will see a fountain and a big grassy path with geometrical shapes, where they plant different flowers in spring. I would very much like to see that. On the right side, you will see an entrance into the maze. Unfortunately, it was closed at the time I was there, but this maze is a very popular attraction in Wien. It is big and you need a good orientation to get out of it.
At the beginning of it, there is a small tower, from where you can watch the people inside the maze.The price for adults it three and a half Euros. Behind the maze, there is another fountain, which is way bigger than the other one. On the right side, you will see the entrance into the Wien ZOO, which is known as the oldest ZOO in the world. The entrance fee for adults costs eighteen Euros, but it can be cheaper with the Wien card. Wien card is similar to London pass, and it gives you some discounts at the certain attractions.
After the entrance into the ZOO, you can take a walk up the Gloriettaviewpoint, which will give you a great view of the mansion and Wien in the background. You have two different paths to choose from – the one that goes left and right several times, which is longer, but therefore easier and less steep, or the one that goes straight upwards. None of them should take you more than twenty minutes.
When walking up to the viewpoint, you will see ducks, walking around freely, some of them even swim inside the bigger fountain. At the top, there is a building with a very nobel restaurant inside, and you have to reserve it a long time in advance. Behind the restaurant, there is another fountain, and the forest behind it. Not very interesting, but the view in the front is breathtaking. Only from here, you can get a glimpse of how big everything is – even from up there, you will only see a small part of everything.
I would mention, that everything inside the complex is well marked, and you will find many signs with information (even the historical facts) and maps, so even if you do not have a guide, you will find all the necessary information there. If you need additional information after all, you can visit the information office, where they will gladly help you.
To sum up, I would definitely recommend you to visit Schonbrunn. But a few hours there simply allows you only to get a glimpse of it, so you will definitely want to go back and explore it more precisely, just like I do now.
