Baroque Schönbrunn Palace Garden

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Laid out on a grand scale by Emperor Joseph I in the early 18th century, the palace garden at Schönbrunn surprises at every turn with beautiful flowerbeds, impressive fountains, artfully trimmed hedges, inviting benches, a maze, seemingly endless avenues and numerous statues. This is also the location of one of Europe’s largest palm houses. Visitors can even discover a small Japanese garden. The adjacent Schönbrunn Zoo is in fact the oldest zoo in the world still in operation. Covering 160 hectares, the grounds are so vast that even the Panorama Train takes about 50 minutes to cover its nine stops in the palace park. The best view is from the elevated Gloriette. 

Baroque Belvedere Palace Garden

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The Baroque garden of Belvedere Palace is actually a few years older than the imposing palace itself. The grounds were laid out around the year 1700 for the future summer residence of the famous Habsburg general Prince Eugene of Savoy. Today it is a magnet for tourists and Viennese alike. The multi-tiered fountain at the center of the garden is a particular highlight. It is not only the imperially designed complex that impresses. The adjacent Alpine Garden with its 4,000 or so species, as well as the Botanical Garden of the University of Vienna with its 11,000 native and exotic plants, also brim with botanical diversity. 

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Video: The magnificent Belvedere Palace

Baroque Augarten

The Augarten in the 2nd district of Vienna is the city’s oldest Baroque garden complex and has been open to the public since 1775. The geometrically designed park, with its shaded avenues of chestnut, linden and elm trees and its colorful floral displays, is perfect for a short stroll, a picnic or activities like yoga, running and frisbee. The Vienna Boys Choir and Girls’ Choir are based at Palais Augarten. The world-famous Augarten Porcelain Manufactory showcases fine craftsmanship. For a culinary break, Restaurant Sperling with its outdoor seating and the cozy Schankwirtschaft await. The two World War II air defence structures and shelters, the so-called flak towers, take some getting used to, but they are important reminders of history.

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