Tuesday, July 23, 2019

I WAS QUEEN

I can't lie, Warbucks did treat me like a Queens for one day!!! I really did feel like a queen.  Of the two palaces we toured, the first one Schonbrunn was by far my favorite. I can't lie, I'm a size queen!!!! Big is beautiful!
Schönbrunn Palace was the main summer residence of the Habsburg rulers, located in Hietzing, Vienna. The 1,441-room Rococo palace is one of the most important architectural, cultural, and historic monuments in the country. Since the mid-1950s it has been a major attraction. The history of the palace and its vast gardens spans over 300 years, reflecting the changing tastes, interests, and aspirations of successive Habsburg monarchs.It was also noted on the tour that many of the notable composers have all preformed here at some point, which seemed cool to me too. The sculpted garden space between the palace and the Neptune Fountain is called the Great Parterre. The French garden, a big part of the area, was planned by Jean Trehet, a disciple of André Le Nôtre, in 1695. It contains, among other things, a labyrinth.. The complex however includes many more attractions: Besides the Tiergarten, an orangerie was erected around 1755, a staple luxury of European palaces of its type, A palm house was erected by 1882, around ten earlier and smaller glass houses in the western part of the park are also noteworthy. Western parts of the grounds are English garden style. The area called Meidlinger to the west of the castle was turned into a play area and drill ground for the children of the Habsburgs in the 19th century. At this time it was common to use parks for the military education of young princes. Whereas the miniature bastion, which was built for this purpose, does not exist anymore, the garden pavilion that was used as shelter still does. It was turned into a café in 1927. At the outmost western edge, a botanical garden going back to an earlier arboretum was re-arranged in 1828, when the Old Palm House was built. A modern enclosure for Orangutans, was restored besides a restaurant and office rooms in 2009. The other thing I enjoy was the sculpture. Incredible sculpture...32 all around the grounds and inside.
The Roman Ruins
The Palm House was very cool, as it contained many exotic flowers and plants not a mention hundreds of butterflies fluttering about. That took over an hour along.

If you ever make it to Vienna my advice here is to do this palace definitely, but plan a whole day, as the palace is huge to tour, not to mention the gardens and grounds, the ruins and the Palm House. Another day we were off to see the Holburg Palace.

The Hofburg is the former principal imperial palace of the Habsburg dynasty rulers, and today serves as the official residence and workplace of the President of Austria. It is located in the center of Vienna and was built in the 13th century and expanded several times afterwards. It also served as the imperial winter residence, as Schönbrunn Palace was the summer residence.  Since 1279 the Hofburg area has been the documented seat of government. The Hofburg has been expanded over the centuries to include various residences, the imperial chapel, the imperial library, the treasury, the Spanish Riding School, and the imperial mews.  The palace faces the Heldenplatz (Heroes Square) ordered under the reign of Emperor Francis Joseph I, as part of what was planned to become the Kaiserforum , but which was never completed.  Numerous architects have executed work at the Hofburg as it expanded, notably the Italian architect-engineer Filiberto Luchese. 

This palace was nice to see, but only certain parts of the interior are open for viewing, so when in Vienna a nice stop, but I found the exterior more impressive than the interior...but the Spanish Riding School was cool to see and very opulent. I have never seen horses move so elegantly before. The arena was illuminated  red at the beginning of the showing with a lovely classical quartet..
Afterwards....some of the riders changed. I was loving the red riding tards much better. They sure didn't leave much to the imagination!

28 comments:

  1. I like the schonbrunn palace better. and those roman ruins!

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  2. Simply breathtaking!!!!!! This is the kind of places I like to see and tour, and look and wonder. They are both so stunning. I too would think the Spanish Riding Show would have been amazing to see. What a trip this has been. I have got to talk William into taking me on the Orient Express at least.....

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  3. Cap Chasen7/23/2019

    What a great and stunning post! The sheer scale and detail is mind blowing. I could be wrong but I believe Marie Antoinette was the Archduchess of Austria under her mother Maria Theresa.

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  4. Even from the outside Schonbrunn looks like it is really worthwhile to visit. Both are so nice in their own ways. And yes...those riders look very sexy in those tards!!!

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  5. Impressive. You certainly don't see things like this in the US.

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  6. Informative, grand and beautiful! It certainly is another way of life compared to here.

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  7. Well it's official... I'm jealous!

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  8. Vienna was one of the places I went first when I moved to Europe. Both of these palaces are worth seeing and a must see in Vienna. Both are extraordinary places, filled of history and also a place for meditation. People are great and very kind. I too am enjoying these posts.

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  9. Superb and spectacular...such great architecture, but I think I would enjoy the Spanish Riding School. How cool.

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  10. I love this too. I would love to see all the sculptures alone and that Palm Hoise!!!! I love butterflies.

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  11. That little house is so You! And WAS nothing. You ARE and always will be queen.

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  12. If I ever make it to Vienna! Oh honey I’ll have to live vicariously through you for awhile. The palace is absolutely breathtaking. Impossibly beautiful. I don’t even know where to start. Loved the conservatory. The idea of butterflies fluttering around is magic.
    But honey, those horse riders! Yum.

    XoXo

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    1. Save a horse, ride the rider instead, right!!!

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  13. Loverly, loverly - great travelogue and pictures. Glad you had a good time. I've seen those horses when they toured. Probably their grandparents.

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  14. Just Queen? Surely that should be: "... by the Grace of God, Dowager Empress of the Romans, Queen of Hungary, of Bohemia, of Dalmatia, of Croatia, of Slavonia, of Galicia, of Lodomeria, etc.; Archduchess of Austria; Duchess of Burgundy, of Styria, of Carinthia and of Carniola; Grand Princess of Transylvania; Margravine of Moravia; Duchess of Brabant, of Limburg, of Luxemburg, of Guelders, of Württemberg, of Upper and Lower Silesia, of Milan, of Mantua, of Parma, of Piacenza, of Guastalla, of Auschwitz and of Zator; Princess of Swabia; Princely Countess of Habsburg, of Flanders, of Tyrol, of Hainault, of Kyburg, of Gorizia and of Gradisca; Margravine of Burgau, of Upper and Lower Lusatia; Countess of Namur; Lady of the Wendish Mark and of Mechlin; Dowager Duchess of Lorraine and Bar, Dowager Grand Duchess of Tuscany."?

    Jx

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    1. That's quite a mouthful, Jon, but then again so is Maddie. I wouldn't know first hand, but I hear things!

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    2. Wouldnt the Mother of Dragons be easier?

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    3. How about this one? María del Rosario Cayetana Paloma Alfonsa Victoria Eugenia Fernanda Teresa Francisca de Paula Lourdes Antonia Josefa Fausta Rita Castor Dorotea Santa Esperanza Fitz-James Stuart, Silva, Falcó y Gurtubay... Jx

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  15. I like the first one best. There's more warm colors and the whole thing is very pretty. An understatement, but a lot can be said for warm and pretty.

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  16. The third picture from the top looks more like a painting than a photo!

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    1. I thought the same of the Oriental Room, the second one below the one your talking of.

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  17. Everything is so understated!

    Lol x

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  18. This is how the 1% live.

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  19. I sense you have some major renovations for the Casa du Borghese planned!

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    1. It like Murphy Browns house....its never truly done.

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  20. I'm not sure I could live in such grandeur all the time. Really. I'm more of a simple guy...Give Frank Lloyd Wright.... *shrug*

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Go ahead darling, tell me something fabulous!