"Schönbrunn: Vienna's Most Magnificent Palace Schönbrunn was the summer residence of the Habsburgs and one of Europe's most stunning Baroque palaces. The family acquired the land in the 16th century and later built a palace, but it was completely rebuilt under Maria Theresa between 1744 and 1749. Emperor Franz Joseph was born and later ruled from here with his wife, the beloved Sissi. (Never mind that she was actually Bavarian.) Beautiful stucco work, frescoes, and lacquered panels adorn the interior in rooms like the Round Chinese Cabinet and Vieux-Lacque Room. In the Blue Chinese Salon, the last emperor, Karl I, signed his abdication in 1918, effectively ending more than 600 years of Habsburg rule."