Enjoying the Culture 193Baroque apartments. Construction on the current building
began after the Turkish siege of 1683 under the guidance of
architect Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach, but it wasn’t
until the reign of Maria Theresa (1740–80) that the building
was expanded to its present state. The gardens were also
extensively developed at this time.
Two tours are available, the Imperial Tour and the Grand
Tour. The former entitles you to see only half of the rooms
open to the public. Invest in the second tour, and you will
see some of the best rooms, which are excluded from the
first tour. The Blue Chinese Salon, Porcelain Room and
Miniatures Room are among the finest on display, but the
Millions Room is by far the best. Miniature 17th century
Persian watercolours are set into the walls, although their
simple beauty is overwhelmed by the accompanying decor.
There is a great deal of information on Princess Elizabeth
( Sissi), given Austrians’ love for her, but it is somewhat ironic
as she did not spend much time at Schönbrunn.
The gardens include the Gloriette, Neptune Fountain,
Palm House, Zoo (the oldest continuously working zoo in the
world), Roman Ruins (replicas built for the gardens), Butterfly
House, Obelisk and innumerable paths that wind through
floral gardens, trees and hedges. You may easily while away
a beautiful sunny afternoon. Bring a picnic!
Hofburg
The Hofburg contains the Imperial Apartments, Treasury,
Church of the Augustines, Court Chapel (where the Vienna
Boys’ Choir sings), several museums (including the Albertina),
Spanish Riding School, Esperanto Museum, Austrian National
Library and government offices. Some 20 rooms in the
Imperial Apartments, the city residence of Emperor Franz
Josef and Empress Sissi, are open to the public.