Pete and I started our trip in Vienna with a tour of Schonbrunn Palace. This was the summer palace of the Hapsburgs. When you see how lavish their palaces were, it's not hard to imagine why the people were often poor and starving. It was really beautiful and I actually enjoyed it a lot more than Versailles. We were able to see more of it and the crowds weren't a problem. After we finished the tour I walked away realizing once again there is so much European history I know little about. I plan on frequenting the library a lot more often when we move back to the States.
Me and Pete with the Great Parterre (gardens) and the Gloriette (up on the hill) in the background
The back side of Schonbrunn Palace
Standing in front of the Neptune fountain
Looking back at the palace and gardens from behind the fountain
The tickets we bought to enter the palace also gave us access to these mazes that were adjacent to the gardens. Pete thought it was fun to see my stress level rise as we hit dead end after dead end. Have I ever mentioned I don't like to be trapped? "I gotta get out of this maze!"
Finally out of the maze
A shot of a few other mazes that we did not attempt
With the palace and Vienna in the background
The Gloriette was a monument built to celebrate a random Austrian military victory
You can climb a bunch of stairs up to the top of the Gloriette to get a great view of the city
This is the Kammergarten that was a private garden that the public was not allowed into during the reign of the Hapsburgs. You can also see the side of the palace in the background.
Although I'm sure the gardens are really beautiful in the spring and summer, it was nice to see some fall colors emerging
The front of Schonbrunn Palace
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