Description of the attraction
In the Vienna Woods, 15 km from Vienna, is the village of Laxenburg, famous for the huge palace and park complex that served as the residence of the Austrian emperors. Every summer, the monarchs, along with the entire court, went to Laxenburg, where they held balls, rode horses around the neighborhood and took boat trips on the huge Palace Lake.
Several palaces are located on the territory of the former imperial residence. The old palace, which is located a few steps from the village of Laxenburg, has been rebuilt from a hunting mansion. In the 17th century, it was given a baroque look. A hundred years later, the defensive ditches that surrounded the Old Castle were destroyed. It currently houses the Austrian Film Archives. This palace is also rented out for various celebrations.
Another castle rises on a small island in the middle of the lake. The Franzensburg Palace appeared in the late 18th - early 19th centuries. With its massive tower and battlements, it resembles a French medieval fortress. Franzensburg Castle can be visited with a guided tour.
The palaces are surrounded by a park whose area reaches 250 hectares. It has walking paths. One of them will certainly lead to an openwork gazebo, where musical performances are often held. Among the attractions of Laxenburg Park are the bust of Emperor Franz I, a tournament site, a stone lion sculpture, a ruin called the "Fantasy House" and a grotto by the lake.
You can get to Laxenburg from Vienna using public transport: buses run to the village in the Vienna Woods.
