Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna, Austria Postcard

"Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna, Austria" by Catherine Sherman. The grand, yellow baroque palace of Schönbrunn Palace stretches across the landscape, featuring a symmetrical façade with multiple windows and a central section adorned with statues. The foreground includes a spacious gravel courtyard and a manicured garden area. Schönbrunn Palace (German: Schloss Schönbrunn) was the main summer residence of the Habsburg rulers, located in Hietzing, the 13th district of Vienna, Austria. The name Schönbrunn (meaning "beautiful spring") has its roots in an artesian well from which water was consumed by the court. The 1,441-room Baroque palace is one of the most important architectural, cultural, and historic monuments in the country. 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 has been a major tourist attraction since the mid-1950s. Franz Joseph, the longest-reigning Emperor of Austria, was born at Schönbrunn and spent a great deal of his life there. He died there, at the age of 86, on November 21,1916. Following the downfall of the Habsburg monarchy in November 1918, the palace became the property of the newly founded Austrian Republic and was preserved as a museum. The palace and its gardens were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996.