Schloss Schönborn
Designed by the renowned architect Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt, Schloss Schönborn reflects the grandeur and sophistication of aristocratic residences of its time, with its three-wing layout, meticulously crafted interiors, and extensive gardens.
Today, the palace hosts a golf club and restaurant, while remaining under the ownership of the Schönborn family, preserving its legacy as a symbol of Austrian noble heritage and architectural splendor.
Melchior Friedrich, Count of Schönborn (1644 – 1717) was a privy councilor of the Electorate of Mainz and Vizedomus of Aschaffenburg, where he commissioned the construction of the Schönborner Hof palace.in 1710, through the mediation of his son Friedrich Carl von Schönborn, who was then serving as Imperial Vice-Chancellor in Vienna, he acquired the estates of Göllersdorf, Mühlberg, and Aspersdorf [de] in Lower Austria from the last Count of Puchheim, Franz Anton von Bucheim, the then Bishop of Wiener Neustadt.
From 1711 to 1718, shortly after the purchase, Friedrich Carl commissioned the architect Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt to convert the Mühlberg castle, which was located on the property, into a representative country house.
Architect Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt designed a three-wing complex with an extensive garden, orangery and castle chapel.
The Prince-Bishop's heir as owner of the Austrian Buchheim majorat was his nephew, Eugen Erwein von Schönborn-Heusenstamm (1727–1801), who lived in Vienna and neglected the palace.
Hugo divided his time between the Schönborner Hof in Mainz, the Franconian palaces of Wiesentheid and Weißenstein in Pommersfelden, and Vienna.
It was only when his sons divided the properties that the Austrian branch of the Schönborn family emerged under Franz Philipp von Schönborn-Buchheim (1768–1841) and assumed ownership of the palace.
In the years following the Second World War, Schloss Schönborn suffered the same fate as most noble estates in northern Lower Austria.
[4] The palace park, an unusual design by Hildebrandt and Maximilian von Welsch, covers an area of approximately 104 hectares, including some ancient trees.
Between 1790 and 1800, Eugen Franz Count Schönborn-Buchheim had an English garden with a large pond laid out in the northern part of the park.
The newly constructed palace of the imperial vice-chancellor provides a representative setting for a noble household, as evidenced by its exterior and interior design.
In addition to serving as a "manor house with estate management" and a residence, Schloss Schönborn primarily functioned as a private retreat and hunting lodge for the count, as evidenced by the pheasantry and associated gardens.
While financial and economic considerations played a role in the decision not to pursue Project I, the more significant factor was the Schönborn family's strong sense of tradition, which required incorporating older structural elements of the predecessor building into the redesign.
This plan reflected a balance between the expectations of a contemporary, expansive castle complex and the preservation of a noble residence's historical essence.
This expansive structure, also designed by Hildebrandt, represents a masterpiece of garden architecture and forms its own small ensemble, echoing the layout of the main building.
These outer wings curve outward in a quarter-circle around the central basin, with gate towers situated on their axes, framing the overall design.
The property was used as a filming location for the boarding school in the 1983 TV series Der Trotzkopf, starring Anja Schüte in the lead role.
